Admissible OWA operators for fuzzy numbers

Abstract

Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) operators are some of the most widely used aggregation functions in classic literature, but their application to fuzzy numbers has been limited due to the complexity of defining a total order in fuzzy contexts. However, the recent notion of admissible order for fuzzy numbers provides an effective method to totally order them by refining a given partial order. Therefore, this paper is devoted to defining OWA operators for fuzzy numbers with respect to admissible orders and investigating their properties. Firstly, we define the OWA operators associated with such admissible orders and then we show their main properties. Afterward, an example is presented to illustrate the applicability of these AOWA operators in linguistic decision-making. In this regard, we also develop an admissible order for trapezoidal fuzzy numbers that can be efficiently applied in practice.