AGGREGATION FUNCTIONS: FROM THE ARITHMETIC MEAN TO THE AGGREGATION BASED ON NON-ADDITIVE MEASURES
SPEAKER:
Prof. Matteo Brunelli
Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento
DISCUSSANT:
Prof. Marta Bottero
Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning, DIST, Polytechnic of Turin
ABSTRACT
We address the challenge of combining lists of numerical values into a single representative figure.
This issue is particularly relevant in ranking scenarios where multiple numerical assessments need to be condensed into one final score.
Practical examples include aggregating jury members’ votes into a single value and combining scores of alternatives based on various criteria.
The measurement of composite indicators for SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is a timely and important example of such real-world problems.
An aggregation function is designed specifically to perform this task. We will outline its definition and scope. Our approach begins with the simplest method—the average—and demonstrates how its limitations in real-world applications have led to various extensions and modifications, which in turn have been applied to model and address practical challenges.
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