Chapter 14 - BWM: Best–worst method for multi-attribute decision-making
Abstract
This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of the best–worst method (BWM) as a prominent technique in multi-attribute decision-making. It begins by introducing the foundations of BWM, highlighting its efficiency, simplicity, and consistency compared with traditional pairwise comparison methods. The literature review summarizes methodological extensions, fuzzy variants, and application areas, showcasing how researchers have refined the approach to better capture uncertainty and support group decision making. The chapter then formalizes the mathematical model, explains the optimization process for deriving weights, and discusses the consistency ratio. Two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the practical implementation of BWM in real-world decision contexts. Finally, the chapter concludes with insights into methodological strengths, limitations, and directions for future research. Overall, the chapter emphasizes both theoretical clarity and practical guidance, enabling readers to apply BWM confidently in academic and professional decision-making settings.