Advanced Applications of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods in Operational Research, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Operational Research (OR) and Decision Processes (DPs) have long pursued the shared objective of enhancing decision quality in complex, uncertain, and rapidly evolving environments. Despite substantial advances in quantitative modeling, an enduring research gap persists regarding how analytical methods can seamlessly integrate human cognition, ethical reasoning, and digital intelligence to support real-world decision-making.

Recent developments in artificial intelligence, behavioral science, and computational modeling have increasingly blurred the boundaries between analytical rigor and human judgment. As organizations intensify their reliance on data-driven and automated systems, a new paradigm—Hybrid Decision Intelligence—is emerging. This paradigm emphasizes the transparent, explainable, and responsible interaction between human expertise, algorithms, and ethical frameworks.

This Special Issue, “Advanced Applications of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods in Operational Research, 2nd Edition,” aims to explore this critical intersection of quantitative methods, behavioral insights, and digital ecosystems. We invite high-quality submissions that bridge theory and practice, demonstrating how OR can combine analytical precision with cognitive and ethical awareness to generate meaningful outcomes for organizations and society.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Behavioral and cognitive Operational Research;
• Multi-criteria decision-making and hybrid analytical models;
• Human–machine co-decision and explainable AI;
• Group and collaborative decision processes;
• Ethics, sustainability, and value-based decision design;
• Cognitive simulation, agent-based, and hybrid decision models;
• Decision analytics in public policy, risk, and disaster management;
• Applications in finance, healthcare, supply chains, and governance.

We welcome conceptual studies, empirical research, review articles, and methodological contributions that present innovative approaches, models, or frameworks linking Operational Research with Decision Sciences.

We look forward to your contributions and to advancing this dynamic and interdisciplinary field together.

Prof. Dr. Marcio Basilio
Dr. Valdecy Pereira
Prof. Dr. Marcos Dos Santos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Mathematics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• operational research (OR)
• decision processes
• behavioral and cognitive modelling
• multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM)
• human–machine collaboration and explainable AI