A multiplicative best-worst method for multi-criteria decision making

Abstract This communication examines the best–worst method for multi-criteria decision making from a more mathematical perspective. The central part of this manuscript is the introduction of a new metric into the framework of the best–worst method. This alternative metric does not change the original idea behind the best–worst method and yet it can be shown that it is not only mathematically more sound but also that it ultimately leads to an optimization problem which can be simply linearized and thus solved.