The Analytic Hierarchy Process and trade fairs in the optic sector: Llexan Italia’s case study

Abstract

The selection of which fair to attend can be considered as a multi decision making problem for a company. In a dynamic environment like a firm, solutions to complex problems must be found rapidly. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been selected as the most suitable tool in order to examine many factors all together. Thanks to the breaking down of the problem into slighter parts, the method allows decision makers to be more logical and rational. The following thesis project focuses on the application of the AHP technique in the context of a company’s management decision on trade fairs participation. The structure of the problem has been articulated into four levels: goal, criteria, sub criteria and sub sub criteria. Judgements have been expressed through pairwise comparison matrices for all the levels. Then, the global ranking of each alternative has been computed. Results have confirmed the accuracy of previous judgements for some trade fairs while providing new insights for the future.