Skip to main content
Log in

Group Decision Making in Higher Education Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

  • Published:
Research in Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) can be applied to those situations in higher education where a group must evaluate a large number of alternatives. The suggested approach is illustrated using a case study that considers the evaluation of academic research papers at Villanova University. Following the discussion of this successful case study, a second example indicates how the AHP can be applied to the more complex problem of institution-wide strategic planning. These examples clearly demonstrate that the AHP approach is a versatile tool that can be applied to a wide range of important academic evaluation problems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • Aczel, J., and Saaty, T. L. (1983). Procedures for synthesizing ratio judgments. Journal of Mathematical Psychology 27: 93-102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arbel, A. (1983). A university budget problem: A priority-based approach. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences 17(4): 181-189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canada, J. R., Frazelle, E. H., Koger, R. K., and MacCormac, E. (1985). How to make a career choice: The use of the analytic hierarchy process. Industrial Management 27(5): 16-22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, J. S. (1990a). Remarks on the analytic hierarchy process. Management Science 36(3): 249-258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer, J. S. (1990b). A clarification of “remarks on the Analytic Hierarchy Process.” Management Science 36(3): 274-275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Expert Choice, Inc. (1995). Expert Choice for Windows, Version 9.0, Pittsburgh, PA.

  • Golden, B. L., Wasil, E. A., and Harker, P. T. (eds.) (1989). The Analytic Hierarchy Process, New York, Springler-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harker, P. T., and Vargas, L. G. (1990). Reply to “Remarks on the Analytic Hierarchy Process” by J. S. Dyer. Management Science 36(3): 269-273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hope, R. P., and Sharpe, J. A. (1989). The use of two planning decision support systems in combination for the redesign of an MBA information technology programme. Computers and Operations Research 16(4): 325-332.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keeney, R. L., and Raiffa, H. (1976). Decisions with Multiple Objectives: Preferences and Value Tradeoffs. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwak, N. K., and Diminnie, C. B. (1987). A goal programming model for allocating operating budgets of academic units. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences 21(5): 333-339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S. M. (1972). Goal Programming for Decision Analysis. Philadelphia: Auerbach.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liberatore, M. J., Nydick, R. L., and Sanchez, P. M. (1992). The evaluation of research papers (or how to get an academic committee to agree on something). Interfaces 22(2): 92-100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lootsma, F. A. (1980). Saaty's priority theory and the nomination of a senior professor in operations research. European Journal of Operational Research 4(6): 380-388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (1977). A scaling method for priorities in hierarchical structures. Journal of Mathematical Psychology 15(3): 234-281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (1980). The Analytic Hierarchy Process. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (1982). Decision Making for Leaders. Belmont, CA: Lifetime Learning Publications, Division of Wadsworth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (1990). An exposition of the AHP in reply to the paper “Remarks on the Analytic Hierarchy Process.” Management Science 36(3): 259-268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L. (1994). How to make a decision: The analytic hierarchy process. Interfaces 24(6): 19-43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L., and, Ramanujam, V. (1983). An objective approach to faculty promotion and tenure by the analytic hierarchy process. Research in Higher Education 18: 311-331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saaty, T. L., and Rogers, L. R. (1976). Higher education in the United States (1985–2000): Scenario construction using a hierarchical framework with eigenvector weighting. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences 10: 251-263.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tadisina, S. K., and Bhasin, V. (1989). Doctoral program selection using pairwise comparisons. Research in Higher Education 30(4): 403-418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trout, M. D., and Tadisina, S. K. (1992). The analytic hierarchy process as a model base for a merit salary recommendation system. Mathematical and Computer Modelling 11: 276-281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tummala, V. M. R., and Sanchez, P. P. (1988). Evaluating faculty merit awards by analytic hierarchy process. Modelling, Simulation and Control C: Environmental, Biomedical, Human and Social Systems 11(4): 1-13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vargas, L. G., and Zahedi, F. (eds.) (1993). Special issue on the analytic hierarchy process. Mathematical and Computer Modelling 17(4–5).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasil, E. A., and Golden, B. L. (eds.) (1991). Public sector applications of the analytic hierarchy process. Socio-Economic Planning Sciences 25(2).

  • White, G. P. (1987). A survey of recent management science applications in higher education. Interfaces 17: 97-108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Winkler, R. L. (1990). Decision modeling and rational choice, AHP and utility theory. Management Science 36(3): 247-248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zahedi, F. (1986). The analytic hierarchy process—A survey of the method and its applications. Interfaces 16(4) 96-108.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liberatore, M.J., Nydick, R.L. Group Decision Making in Higher Education Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Research in Higher Education 38, 593–614 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024948630255

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024948630255

Keywords

Navigation