Fundamentals of the analytic network process

Abstract

The Analytic Network Process (ANP) is a general theory of relative measurement used to derive composite priority ratio scales from individual ratio scales that represent relative measurements of the influence of elements that interact with respect to control criteria. Through its superma-trix whose elements are themselves matrices of column priorities, the ANP captures the out-come of dependence and feedback within and between clusters of elements. The Analytic Hier-archy Process (AHP) with its dependence assumptions on clusters and elements is a special case of the ANP. The ANP is a new and an essential phase in decision making, neglected so far be-cause of the linear structures used in traditional approaches and their inability to deal with feed-back in order to choose alternatives not simply according to attributes and criteria, but also ac-cording to their consequences both positive and negative – an essential and so far a missing con-sideration in decision making. This paper gives a brief look at the foundation of the ANP to-gether with a simple example. 1.