Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis
SWARA (Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) is a weight subjective multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method introduced by Keršulienė, V., Zavadskas, E. K., Turskis, Z. in 2010. It turns a decision matrix of alternatives scored on multiple criteria into a structured, reproducible result.
Key highlights
- Follows a transparent, reproducible computational procedure that can be audited step by step.
- Handles multiple criteria of differing scales and units within a single decision matrix.
Intuition
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How it works
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When to use it
SWARA requires the DM to first rank criteria from most to least important, then specify how much more important each criterion is relative to the next one (s_j ≥ 0). s_j = 0 means criterion j and j+1 are equally important; s_j = 0.5 means j is 50% more important. Only n−1 judgements are needed.
Strengths & limitations
- Follows a transparent, reproducible computational procedure that can be audited step by step.
- Handles multiple criteria of differing scales and units within a single decision matrix.
- Results depend on the chosen normalisation, weights, and parameter settings.
Common pitfalls
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Sources
- 1.Keršulienė, V., Zavadskas, E. K., Turskis, Z. (2010). Selection of rational dispute resolution method by applying new step-wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA). Journal of Business Economics and Management
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Cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 2). SWARA. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/decision-making/swara