A Quantitative Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Model for Prioritizing Household Support Coverage with a Food Security Approach  (Case Study: Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation)

Naji Azimi, Zahra; Baghaee, Zahra; Motahari Farimani, Naser; Rezaee, Saeedeh

doi:10.22054/qjss.2026.84187.2870

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Professor, Management Dept, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

² Master's student, Management Dept, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

³ Associate Professor, Management Dept, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

⁴ Ph.D. student, Management Dept, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22054/qjss.2026.84187.2870

Abstract

In modern welfare systems, although the government holds the primary responsibility for ensuring well-being, it is sometimes unable to cover all layers of poverty, particularly during economic crises. In this context, charitable institutions act as "complementary" entities, covering groups that remain unsupported by the government.. However, their major challenge lies in resource limitations and the necessity of optimally allocating these resources to the neediest individuals. The present research, adopting a practical approach, introduces a new quantitative model to address this challenge. This method is based on the integration of multi-criteria techniques and was implemented on households covered by the Relief Committee in Golbahar city, with data collected from 150 households. In this model, a combination of SWARA and WASPAS methods has been used to identify factors and rank households; specifically, "SWARA" was used for weighting indicators, and "WASPAS" was employed for the final ranking. The results indicate that "low income level," "employment status of household members," and "family size," with weights of 0.110, 0.101, and 0.093 respectively, are the most critical indicators of food security. Unlike traditional methods, this model facilitates targeted intervention by accurately identifying high-risk households.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Quantitative Approach

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Social Sciences

A Quantitative Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Model for Prioritizing Household Support Coverage with a Food Security Approach (Case Study: Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation)

References

References

Volume 32, Issue 111 - Serial Number 111
December 2025
Pages 37-68

A Quantitative Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Model for Prioritizing Household Support Coverage with a Food Security Approach (Case Study: Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation)

References

References

Volume 32, Issue 111 - Serial Number 111December 2025Pages 37-68

Volume 32, Issue 111 - Serial Number 111
December 2025
Pages 37-68