Mathematical Based Models for Group Decision Support in Telecommunication Network Design and Management—Challenges and Trends

Abstract

The extremely rapid evolutions of telecommunication network technologies and services and their interactions with complex socio-economic environments, justify the increasing importance in applying, in certain areas of network planning, design and management, group decision approaches. In fact, there is a significant number of decision problems focused on issues of network planning and design, of multiple natures, where more than one decision maker intervenes or where it is possible to develop mathematical formulations of the problems considering multiple DMs, representing entities of the network itself. Moreover, the evolution of these networks and related industries leads to a great variety of multifaceted and complex problems, usually involving multiple dimensions, very frequently of conflicting nature. These factors justify the interest in addressing the applications of mathematical based models for group decision support in telecommunications. Although mathematical based models have been developed in the framework of operations research, systems science, game theory, etc., and they are an essential part of group decision and negotiation support systems, the scope of this study is limited to multicriteria models and game theory models. In fact, we believe these methodologies are adequate to discuss the challenges and trends of formal models for telecommunication applications. An outline of more relevant evolutions of telecommunication network technologies and services will be presented, followed by a brief overview of major concepts concerning multicriteria group decision (MCGD) and game theory (GT) approaches and methods, relevant to these areas. After identifying the major domains of application of MCGD and GT approaches in telecommunications, an overview of representative contributions in these areas, based on MCGD and GT methodologies, will be put forward. Finally, an analysis and outline discussion of current and future research trends and challenges concerning the use of MCGD and GT approaches in this broad area of decision support, also focusing on some relevant methodological issues, will be presented.