Title: Applying utility theory in uncertain project environments with multiple goals

Authors: Mojtaba Safari; Morteza Bagherpour; John Wang

Addresses: Department of Industrial Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak Street, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Industrial Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak Street, Tehran, Iran ' Department of Information and Operation Management, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ 07043, USA

Abstract: In project environments, normally, multiple conflicting goals are being incorporated for decision making which associated with uncertain and incomplete information. The main purpose of the project management process is to minimise total project cost and completion time simultaneously; however these affecting factors in project management are conflicting objectives and those have to be efficiently compromised. Going through literature indicated utility theory has not been previously applied in project management environment while deeply incorporated through economics sciences. This study applies the utility theory through solving cost and time trade-off problems in uncertain environments. Here, considering decision maker's (DM) preferences, cost and time utility functions are then determined. Further, the overall utility function has to be optimised. Since the proposed function appropriately assessed, the best decision is being made and maximum satisfaction for DM is reached.

Keywords: utility theory; cost-time trade-off; project management; multi-objective decision making; earned value; uncertainty.

DOI: 10.1504/IJADS.2016.080125

International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, 2016 Vol.9 No.2, pp.196 - 211

Received: 14 Mar 2016
Accepted: 19 Mar 2016
Published online: 02 Nov 2016 *

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