Boundary and Target Value-Based Normalization Procedures for MCDM Methods: An Application on Workers’ Physical Workload Evaluation by Using CRITIC-PSI-CoCoSo

It is important to perform to find the most appropriate normalization procedure in MCDM methods. Normalization procedures proposed in the literature have tended to focus on cost and benefit type criteria. Some of the criteria discussed in MCDM problems may be required not to exceed a certain lower bound or upper bound, while others may be required to meet a certain target value. However, some criteria require target and boundary values-based normalizations, and these types of procedures receive much less attention despite their importance in many decision-making problems such as workers’ physical workload evaluation. Criteria affecting physical workload require target and boundary values-based normalizations because these normalization procedures best match the properties of human physiological capacities. In this context, this study proposes new normalization procedures based on target and boundary values. These new normalizations are applied in Criteria Importance through Inter-criteria Correlation (CRITIC), Preference Selection Index (PSI) to obtain criteria weights and Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) method to prioritize workers for their physical workload levels. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis was performed to interpret the ranking differences for CRITIC-CoCoSo and PSI-CoCoSo integrations based on proposed normalization procedures.