Acceptable consistency of aggregated comparison matrices in analytic hierarchy process

The analytic hierarchy process is a method for solving multiple criteria decision problems, as well as group decision making. The weighted geometric mean method is appropriate when aggregation of individual judgements is used. This paper presents a new proof which confirms the property that if the comparison matrices of all decision makers are of acceptable consistency, then the weighted geometric mean complex judgement matrix (WGMCJM) also is of acceptable consistency. This property was presented and first proved by Xu (2000), but Lin et al. (2008) rejected the proof. We also discuss under what conditions the WGMCJM is of acceptable consistency when not all comparison matrices of decision makers are of acceptable consistency. For this case we determine the sufficient condition for the WGMCJM to be of acceptable consistency and provide numerical examples. For a special case of two decision makers with 3 × 3 comparison matrices we find out some additional conditions for the WGMCJM to be of acceptable consistency.

► If all individual matrices are acceptably consistent then also a group matrix is. ► We discuss conditions when group comparison matrix is acceptably consistent. ► We examine the case of two decision makers with 3 × 3 comparison matrices.