Two-sided matching model for assigning volunteer teams to relief tasks in the absence of sufficient information

Abstract In the wake of a large-scale disaster, volunteer teams provide invaluable assistance. There is a pressing need to design a suitable model to solve the problem of volunteer team dispatching. This paper proposes a novel approach from the perspective of two-sided matching, which could stimulate the enthusiasm of volunteers. However, it is almost impossible to use one or more fixed indicators to evaluate each volunteer team or rescue task. Even if the indicators can be determined, the values of some indicators are difficult to obtain. Therefore, the proposed approach uses the available information to recommend potential matching targets and revises some key targets based on the subjective preferences of participants. It effectively avoids the bias in decision-making caused by the unavailability of sufficient information and improves the satisfaction of bilateral participants. Furthermore, it can effectively solve the two-sided matching problem when the preference order is unknown. The proposed approach is illustrated with a simulation case that focuses on an explosion accident in China. The rationality and effectiveness of the approach is validated through comparisons and analyses of the experimental results.