An FMEA model for risk assessment of university sustainability: using a combined ITARA with TOPSIS-AL approach based neutrosophic sets

Sheng-Wei Lin; Huai-Wei Lo

doi:10.1007/s10479-023-05250-4

An FMEA model for risk assessment of university sustainability: using a combined ITARA with TOPSIS-AL approach based neutrosophic sets

Ann Oper Res. 2023 Mar 6:1-27. doi: 10.1007/s10479-023-05250-4. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sheng-Wei Lin¹, Huai-Wei Lo²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Financial Management, National Defense University, No. 70, Section 2, Zhongyang North Road, Beitou, Taipei 112 Taiwan.
² Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, 123 University Road, Section 3, Douliou, Yunlin 64002 Taiwan.

Abstract

It is necessary to emphasize both the process and results of performance management to find the balance between quality and quantity needed to ensure the sustainable development of universities to make the best use of limited educational resources and meet the diverse needs of students. This study applies failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to analyze obstacles to university sustainability by constructing complete risk assessment modes and reference indicators. The neutrosophic set theory was incorporated into the FMEA to account for information uncertainty and asymmetry. A specialist team then evaluated the importance of the risk factors using neutrosophic indifference threshold-based attribute ratio analysis to determine objective weights for the risk factors. Furthermore, the neutrosophic technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution based on aspiration level (N-TOPSIS-AL) is employed to aggregate the total risk scores of the failure modes. Using neutrosophic sets to measure truth, falsity, and indeterminacy in the assessment significantly improve the adaptability of the fuzzy theory to real-world problems. The study results indicate that when assessing university affairs management and analyzing possible risks, priority must be given to the occurrence of risks and that the lack of educational facilities is the riskiest item in the specialist assessment. The proposed assessment model can be applied as a basis for university sustainability assessments to accelerate the development of other forward-looking approaches.

Keywords: Neutrosophic sets; Risk assessment; University sustainability.

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