Title
The comparative ability of self-organizing neural networks to define cluster structure
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
1-1-1995
Abstract
The ability to determine clusters or similarity in large, multivariate data sets is critical to many business decisions. Unfortunately, current cluster algorithms are sensitive to dispersion that occurs naturally in empirical data. As the level of relative cluster dispersion in the data increases, current clustering techniques fail to accurately identify cluster membership. An improved clustering methodology is needed that produces more accurate cluster definitions than the methods commonly used today. Our research investigates the ability of specific neural network architectures utilizing unsupervised learning to recover cluster structure from multivariate data sets with various levels of relative cluster dispersion. The results demonstrate that the Self Organizing Map network is a superior clustering technique and that its relative advantage over conventional techniques increases with higher levels of relative cluster dispersion in the data. © 1995.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Omega
Volume
23
Issue
3
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Chen, S. K., P. Mangiameli, and D. West. "The comparative ability of self-organizing neural networks to define cluster structure." Omega 23, 3 (1995): 271-279. doi: 10.1016/0305-0483(95)00011-C.