Ranking The Livable Cities Through Multi-Criteria Decision Making Methods

Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) is defined as the process of giving values to the alternatives by evaluating several criteria together. There are two types of MCDM approaches; Multi-Attribute Decision Making and Multiple-Objective Decision Making. If a MCDM problem is based on giving scores to some attributes to determine the best alternative, then it is called as Multi- Attribute Decision Making problem. Multiple-Objective Decision Making problem is however related to selecting the best alternative, based on conflicting goals. Both problem types consist of one or more decision makers. In this study, Multi-Attribute Decision Making problem has been used. Multi-Criteria Decision Making is an approach, which helps decision makers to select the best choice by utilizing multiple criteria simultaneously. The best choice is usually bounded by the criteria and the goals of the executives in a rational decision making environment. Multi-Criteria Decision Making show a rapid development in decision making area, due to its practical use. The method has a wide range of applications as it has a strong logical structure on successful decisions.In Turkey, every city has its own unique attributes. These attributes differentiate the cities from the others. Hence, all those attributes should be considered together in order to determine the livable cities. This condition requires the use of Multi-Attribute Decision Making approach. In this study, 81 cities of Turkey have been ranked to create the list of livable cities. In this study, economy, education, health, city life, safety, culture and art criteria have been used. SAW (Weighted Sum Model), TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and Grey Relational Analysis MCDM methods have been used in the study. The findings highlight that the first three most livable cities are usually Ankara, Antalya and Eskişehir, while the last three are Muş, Bitlis and Hakkari.