<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The essay has a twofold objective: primarily, to present an application of voting theory as a possible evaluation method, and concurrently, to offer a pedagogic framework, based on that very application. Evaluation and certain notions of preference and value have common semantic roots. By equating preference and choice, we end up amidst social choice (SC) theory and voting methods, also manageable as joint decisions in multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM). With the aid of the Saari triangle some essential differences of pairwise and positional voting rules for up to three alternatives can be depicted. A voting or decision rule does not necessarily follow the true preferences of the actors, but may mirror the problematics of the chosen rule. The Saari triangle makes it possible to visualize some paradoxical results in the exemplary evaluations of digital websites through an imaginary case description via voting and MCDM. As candidates and voters in SC are put to stand for alternatives and criteria in MCDM, the methodological and pedagogical goals of the study are achieved.</p>
</abstract>

The essay has a twofold objective: primarily, to present an application of voting theory as a possible evaluation method, and concurrently, to offer a pedagogic framework, based on that very application. Evaluation and certain notions of preference and value have common semantic roots. By equating preference and choice, we end up amidst social choice (SC) theory and voting methods, also manageable as joint decisions in multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM). With the aid of the Saari triangle some essential differences of pairwise and positional voting rules for up to three alternatives can be depicted. A voting or decision rule does not necessarily follow the true preferences of the actors, but may mirror the problematics of the chosen rule. The Saari triangle makes it possible to visualize some paradoxical results in the exemplary evaluations of digital websites through an imaginary case description via voting and MCDM. As candidates and voters in SC are put to stand for alternatives and criteria in MCDM, the methodological and pedagogical goals of the study are achieved.

Voting and MCDM: the pedagogy of the Saari triangle

Control and Cybernetics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Voting and MCDM: the pedagogy of the Saari triangle"}

The essay has a twofold objective: primarily, to present an application of voting theory as a possible evaluation method, and concurrently, to offer a...

Voting and MCDM: the pedagogy of the Saari triangle

Published Online: Jun 27, 2022

Page range: 401 - 412

Received: Sep 01, 2020

Accepted: Mar 01, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/candc-2021-0024

Keywords
social choice, voting, Saari triangle, MCDM, pedagogy

© 2021 Jaakko Hakula, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Voting and MCDM: the pedagogy of the Saari triangle

Published Online: Jun 27, 2022

Page range: 401 - 412

Received: Sep 01, 2020

Accepted: Mar 01, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/candc-2021-0024

Keywordssocial choice, voting, Saari triangle, MCDM, pedagogy

© 2021 Jaakko Hakula, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
social choice, voting, Saari triangle, MCDM, pedagogy