Resolution of Activity Scheduling Conflicts: Reverse Pairwise Comparison of In-Home and Out-of-Home Activities

This paper proposes a new methodology for solving a pairwise comparison problem from a polychotomous classification. The proposed methodology reverses the pairwise coupling and employs the Bradley–Terry formulation for estimating pairwise comparison models. This methodology was implemented through relevant models in Agent-Based Dynamic Activity Planning and Scheduling (ADAPTS) and aims for solving pairwise activity conflicts. At one step of the framework, given the default algorithm, agents have to make a choice between in-home and out-of-home activities. At this time step, the reverse pairwise comparison models are called to investigate the agents’ resources and conditions for making the most probable decision about which activity to engage in. This work was conducted in conjunction with an earlier effort to incorporate in-home activities into ADAPTS, and the models proposed provide a behavioral decision-making process for this purpose.