Abstract
This study proposes a systematic methodology of the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) barriers (IoTBs) that exist in the waste management structures of smart cities (SCs) in growing economies likely India. A hybrid multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) is applied and has recognized 15 IoTBs from literature and experts opinions obstructing the IoT adoption in SCs of India. The different IoTBs are studied using the similarity measure-based new weighting approach, and the combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) method. Considering that Fermatean fuzzy sets (FFSs) can represent this uncertainty, this paper proposes a decision-making framework for waste management system solutions based on the FFSs and builds a complete evaluation index system. Herein, we first combine the Archimedean Copula operations and Archimedean operations and term them as 'generalized Archimedean Copula operations' for FFSs. Based on these new operations, we develop the Fermatean fuzzy generalized Archimedean copula weighted averaging (FFGACWA) and Fermatean fuzzy generalized Archimedean copula weighted geometric (FFGACWG) operators. Then, we construct a decision algorithm based on FFWGAAC and FFWGGAC operators. Second, we propose new weighting procedure based on similarity measure to discuss the significance degree of IoTBs. Further, we apply this method to the evaluation and selection of a methodology of IoTBs in smart cities' waste management (SCWM) assignments, and prove the effectiveness of this method. The algorithm can represent the Fermatean fuzzy information in a complex environment. It cannot only consider the uncertainty of the decision-makers (DMEs) when giving the evaluation value but also synthesize the relationship between any numbers of evaluation criteria. Finally, the superiority of the methodology is discussed by sensitivity analysis and comparative study. The results show that the method can effectively handle the decision-making problems in complex environments. This paper will assist the representatives, stakeholders and government to know the importance of IoTBs affecting waste management processes, and it will certainly help them to take judgments for exterminating the IoTBs for an effective IoT employment in SCWM assignments.