Computational approach to essential and nonessential objective functions in linear multicriteria optimization

Abstract

The question of obtaining well-defined criteria for multiple-criteria decision making problems is well known. One of the approaches dealing with this question is the concept of nonessential objective functions. A certain objective function is called nonessential if the set of efficient solutions is the same with or without that objective function. We present two methods for determining nonessential objective functions. A computational implementation is done using a computer algebra system. © 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.