Aggregation and Disaggregation of Preferences for Collective Decision-Making

Group decisions are of longstanding interest to researchers from a wide spectrum of disciplines. Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) can play a vital role in situations where multiple persons are involved, each having their own private perceptions of the context and the decision problem to be tackled. In such an environment the conflict between the members of the planning group is not an unusual situation. Multiple criteria decision aid (MCDA) methods may be a useful tool in coping with such interpersonal conflicts where the aim is to achieve consensus between the group members. This paper combines two well-known multicriteria methods, based on the notion of aggregation of preferences, in order to construct a consensus seeking methodology for collective decision-making.     

一种基于多人决策的供应链协同决策模型

为解决供应链协同决策的有效性问题,本文分析供应链协同决策与群体决策的区别,采用构建决策流程和决策模型、基于集对理论的共识度评价等方法,建立基于模糊多目标多人决策的供应链协同决策建模,并通过算例验证模型的合理性和有效性。     

Analysis of multiple criteria decision support systems for cooperative groups

This article reviews research on multiple criteria decision support systems for cooperative groups. The systems included in this survey integrate concepts from group decision theory, multiple criteria decision methodology, and decision support system technology. Three dimensions are considered in the analysis of existing research: the multiple criteria decision technique used to generate decision alternatives or to choose from a given set; the method used to facilitate individual compromise and group consensus; and the application category, if any.     

A Consensus Based Method for Multi-criteria Group Decision Making Under Uncertain Linguistic Setting

A two-stage (a consensus process and a selection process) approach is proposed to solve multi-criteria group decision making problems under an uncertain linguistic environment. Since achieving general consensus is a desirable goal in group decision making, the proposed method first develops a consensus reaching process in order to reach a satisfactory consensus. Based on the partial order of uncertain linguistic variables, the superiority index of one alternative over another for a given criterion and the overall superiority index of one alternative are defined. Then a procedure based on the superiority indices is described to select the best alternative(s). Given the decision makers’ desire for a consensus solution, a common framework based on the previous consensus model and the selection process is presented. Finally, a practical application is demonstrated to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

A risk-based decision support framework for selection of appropriate safety measure system for underground coal mines

In the context of underground coal mining industry, the increased economic issues regarding implementation of additional safety measure systems, along with growing public awareness to ensure high level of workers safety, have put great pressure on the managers towards finding the best solution to ensure safe as well as economically viable alternative selection. Risk-based decision support system plays an important role in finding such solutions amongst candidate alternatives with respect to multiple decision criteria. Therefore, in this paper, a unified risk-based decision-making methodology has been proposed for selecting an appropriate safety measure system in relation to an underground coal mining industry with respect to multiple risk criteria such as financial risk, operating risk, and maintenance risk. The proposed methodology uses interval-valued fuzzy set theory for modelling vagueness and subjectivity in the estimates of fuzzy risk ratings for making appropriate decision. The methodology is based on the aggregative fuzzy risk analysis and multi-criteria decision making. The selection decisions are made within the context of understanding the total integrated risk that is likely to incur while adapting the particular safety system alternative. Effectiveness of the proposed methodology has been validated through a real-time case study. The result in the context of final priority ranking is seemed fairly consistent.     

AHP-Group Decision Making: A Bayesian Approach Based on Mixtures for Group Pattern Identification

This paper proposes a Bayesian estimation procedure to determine the priorities of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in group decision making when there are a large number of actors and a prior consensus among them is not required. Using a hierarchical Bayesian approach based on mixtures to describe the prior distribution of the priorities in the multiplicative model traditionally used in the stochastic AHP, this methodology allows us to identify homogeneous groups of actors with different patterns of behaviour for the rankings of priorities. The proposed procedure consists of a two-step estimation algorithm: the first step carries out a global exploration of the model space by using birth and death processes, the second concerns a local exploration by means of Gibbs sampling. The methodology has been illustrated by the analysis of a case study adapted from a real experiment on e-democracy developed for the City Council of Zaragoza (Spain). Partially funded under the research project Electronic Government. Internet-based Complex Decision Making: e-democracy and e-cognocracy (Ref. PM2004-052) approved by the Regional Government of Aragon (Spain) as part of the multi-disciplinary projects programme.     

Internet Multiattribute Group Decision Support in Electronic Commerce

The rapid growth of the Internet has provided the means for distributed organizational decision making for electronic commerce. Members of organizations can jointly investigate products, exchange information, and make decisions on-line from remote sites. Internet-based multiattribute group decision making is characterized by three aspects, (i) individual interactive decision making, (ii) communication means, and (iii) group consensus reaching. The purpose of this research was to study the role of communication and individual decision strategies and their influence on multiattribute group decision making and consensus reaching in organizational electronic commerce settings. The results of this study indicate that analytic decision support is indispensable in collaborative Internet-based decision making, that a perfect match of analytic decision support and communication channels must be achieved, and that efficiency of individual decision support should be compromised for higher confidence in the group's decisions. The results of this study also confirm findings by Häubl and Trifts (2000) that interactive decision analytic support has positive effects on the quality and efficiency of individual decision making, and findings by Limayem and DeSanctis (2000) and Todd and Benbesat (2000), that decision makers will use normative decision models if they require little effort and if decisional guidance is provided. The conclusion drawn from this study is that the continuously evolving Internet technology for collaborative decision making is only one aspect for better organizational decision making – the crucial aspect, however, will be the development and optimal integration of analytic decision models, communication channels, and consensus reaching mechanisms.     

Visual and Interactive Comparative Analysis of Individual Opinions: A Group Decision Support Tool

This study proposes the use of the visual, interactive and comparative analysis (VICA) methodology to encourage consensus-building in decision making processes involving multiple criteria and multiple participants working in cooperative groups. The tool was applied to the Electre TRI (VICA-Electre TRI) method which utilises comparative analyses plus visuals and the interactive exchange of individuals’ opinions within the group. It aims at reducing complexity, presenting updates about each member’s progress in the decision making process and fostering the search for consensus. The methodology was implemented in a spreadsheet format (Microsoft Excel) to make it as accessible as possible while also facilitating its acceptance and efficient use within organizations.     

A support to consensus reaching in group decision

This paper outlines an interactive aid that facilitates consensus in cooperative decision making or policy recommendation. The approach draws on a previous result which shows that a multiple ranking can be derived from a single relational preference system. In other words, the preferences expressed individually by each member of a group may lead to either unanimous or a majority consensus, with or without concession from individual members.     

The political motivations of ethical consumers

Consumer‐driven labelling schemes such as Fairtrade and the Forest Stewardship Council, are based upon several assumptions of consumer decision making and behaviour. This study aimed to test the validity of some of these assumptions, including the belief that consumers are acting ‘on behalf’ of workers and communities in economically developing countries by supporting fair and ethical trade. It examines the political motivations underlying ethical consumption, such as its relationship to other forms of political activism, reasons behind high purchase frequency and how existing values interact with consumption choices. Drawing upon the results of a series of six focus groups with 58 participants and a nationally representative panel‐based survey of 1014 Australian consumers, this paper argues that many of the factors involved in consumer decision making are inconsistent with the assumptions made by private economic governance schemes in attempting to harness consumer power, calling into question the effectiveness and legitimacy of such schemes. However, by tailoring the marketing strategies to different types of consumers, along with suppliers and retailers, these schemes can potentially increase their effectiveness.     

Sequential Betting Behavior: A Test of Asymmetric Inconsistencies in Group Decision Making

Previous research has shown that individual decision makers tend to bet more than initially planned after experiencing a loss but not after a gain. This research tests whether groups in consensus decision‐making contexts also demonstrate similar asymmetric inconsistencies. Two experiments, one at the individual level and one with three‐person groups, were carried out based on a gambling‐type betting task. Although individuals planned more conservatively than groups regarding their betting behavior after the first outcome, both individuals and groups misestimated their own betting behavior after losses but not after gains. Negative, but not positive, emotional reactions to previous decision outcomes were also misestimated, leading to incorrect predictions of future behavior. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.     

Enhancing CSCW with Advanced Decision Making Tools for an Agile Manufacturing System Design Application

Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) can provide an efficient decision-making environment for multi-disciplinary teams faced with the challenge of evaluating agile manufacturing systems. In this paper, the development and evaluation of CSCW prototypes to aid the systematic evaluation of agile manufacturing systems are described. An industrial case study involving the evaluation of alternative design configurations of a cellular manufacturing system (CMS) for agile manufacturing was used for testing with twelve multi-disciplinary teams. The results obtained suggest that engineering design teams can obtain productivity improvements through the use of CSCW tools. The results indicate that CSCW systems can assist decision-makers in reaching consensus especially when advanced decision making tools are incorporated into the problem-solving framework. In this study, we also found that an enhanced CSCW with a neural network module for preference aggregation outperformed a basic CSCW in: (1) decision quality, (2) users' satisfaction and agreement, (3) consensus. These results also have far reaching implications for distributed product development teams that face the problem of reaching consensus on a range of alternative designs with stringent pressures to reduce development time.     

利益相关者财务治理的一致性聚类分析

本文利用聚类分析方法研究利益相关者参与企业财务治理的决策机制,以融资决策为例,将内部融资、债务融资、股权融资三种不同的融资类型作为决策者判断的方案,不同类型融资的具体数值作为三角模糊数,考虑决策者的权重对决策者一致度计算的影响,计算不同决策者之间的一致度距离,进行决策者聚类,依据聚类的结果,计算一致性相同的决策者集合的最终方案集,最后通过实例演示了上述的计算过程。     

On-line group decision support by preference programming in traffic planning

Preference programming is a decision support technique which allows decision makers to give preference statements of weight ratios in terms of intervals instead of single numbers in a value tree. Individual preferences, based on single number statements, can be combined into an interval model, and the negotiation proceeds by focusing on decreasing the width of the intervals. The preference programming approach was evaluated with a realistic traffic planning problem by using the HIPRE 3+ Group Link software. The results from nine test groups indicate that preference programming is an operational group decision support technique which initiates negotiations and efficiently directs the discussion towards issues which are relevant in reaching a consensus.     

Evaluating a Framework for Multi-Stakeholder Decision Support in Water Resources Management

In this paper we describe a framework for multicriteria modeling and support of multi-stakeholder decision processes. We report on its testing in the development of a new water level management policy for a regulated lake-river system in Finland. In the framework the stakeholders are involved in the decision process from the problem structuring stage to the group consensus seeking stage followed by a stage of seeking public acceptance for the policy. The framework aims at creating an evolutionary learning process. In this paper we also focus on the use of a new interactive method for finding and identifying Pareto-optimal alternatives. Role playing experiments with students are used to test the practical applicability of a negotiation support procedure called the method of improving directions. We also describe the preference programming approach for the aggregation of the stakeholder opinions in the final evaluation of alternatives and consensus seeking.     

Compatibility Analysis of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Preference Relations in Group Decision Making

Compatibility analysis is an efficient and important tool used to measure the consensus of opinions within a given group of individuals. In this paper, we give a compatibility measure between intuitionistic preference values and a compatibility measure between intuitionistic preference relations, respectively, and study their properties. It is shown that each individual intuitionistic preference relation and the collective intuitionistic preference relation is perfectly compatible if and only if all the individual intuitionistic preference relations are perfectly compatible. Based on the compatibility measures, a consensus reaching procedure in group decision making with intuitionistic preference relations is developed, and a method for comparing intuitionistic fuzzy values is pointed out, by which the considered objects are ranked and selected. In addition, we extend the developed measures, procedure and method to accommodate group decision making situations with interval-valued intuitionistic preference relations. Numerical analysis on our results through an illustrative example is also carried out.     

Context Dependence and Aggregation in Disaggregate Choice Analysis

There is an emerging consensus among disciplines dealing with human decision making that the context in which a decision is made is an important determinant of outcomes. This consensus has been slow in the making because much of what is known about context effects has evolved from a desire to demonstrate the untenability of certain common assumptions upon which tractable models of behavior have generally been built. This paper seeks tobring disparate disciplinary perspectives to bear on the relation between context and choice, to formulate (1) recommendations for improvements to the state-of-the-practice of Random Utility Models (RUMs) of choice behavior, and (2) a future research agenda to guide the further incorporation of context into these models of choice behavior.     

A Calibrated Group Decision Process

In practice most organisational decisions are made by groups that bring into the problem multiple perspectives, both complementary and contradictory. When having a group of decision makers, usually individuals’ preferences are either led to consensus or are aggregated with the use of some function like the median, the arithmetic or geometric mean. We focus in the second case, where individual’s preferences need to be aggregated. Our approach is based on the fact that when two decision makers are asked to give their preference between a pair of criteria using a specific scale, it is possible that they will give slightly different answers, even when they actually have the same opinion. This difference will not affect the case of a single decision maker, as it will be consistent throughout the whole process. However, it can affect a group decision when the values will be used as an input for the aggregation function. A novel approach is presented that enhances group decision making through a group calibration process. The proposed process adjusts individuals’ preferences based on their answers on a set of standardized questions prior to the aggregation phase. The method focuses The whole concept is applied to the group analytical network process method and it is illustrated through a telecommunications project case. The decision under examination concerns the selection of the right place for deploying a new telecom service of a multinational-based telecommunications company where a group of geographically dispersed decision makers form an ad-hoc virtual team in order to select the location for a new technical support centre.