Strategic decision making for improved environmental security: Coalitions and attitudes

Abstract

The utilization of decision support systems which are flexible enough to handle information about cooperative behavior and stakeholder attitudes are useful for analyzing complex social conflicts. One such conflict which arose from the redevelopment of a private brownfield property in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada is examined using such a decision support tool. Specifically, a formal model referred to as COAT which allows for the examination of conflicts with both coalition and attitude properties is rigorously defined and then implemented within the framework of the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution in order that insights may be gained on how the decision makers can reach win-win resolutions.

Keywords

Graph model for conflict resolution / attitudes / coalitions / COAT / decision support system / conflict

References

[1] City of Kitchener. (2005). Reurbanization of 90 Woodside Avenue. August 22, 2005. Available via DIALOG. http://www.kitchener.ca/woodside.htm. Cited October 10, 2008

[2] Fang L., Hipel K.W., Kilgour D.M.. Interactive Decision Making: the Graph model for conflict resolution, 1993, New York, NY: Wiley

[3] Feick, D. (2007). Inspiring townhome community supports Kitchener’s revitalization efforts. Waterloo Region Record, July 7, 2007. Available via DIALOG. http://news.therecord.com/article/212296. Cited August 19, 2008

[4] Fraser N.M., Hipel K.W.. Conflict Analysis: Models and Resolutions, 1984, New York, NY: North-Holland.

[5] Howard N.. Paradoxes of Reality: Theory of Metagames and Political Behaviour, 1971, Cambridge: MIT Press

[6] Inohara, T. & Hipel, K.W. (2008a). Coalition analysis in the graph model for conflict resolution. Accepted for publication

[7] Inohara T., Hipel K.W.. Interrelationships among Noncooperative and Coalition Stability Concepts. Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering, 2008, 17(1): 1-29.

[8] Inohara T., Hipel K.W., Walker S.. Conflict analysis approaches for investigating attitudes and misperceptions in the war of 1812. Journal of Systems Science and Systems Engineering, 2007, 16(2): 181-201.

[9] Kilgour D.M., Hipel K.W., Fang L., Peng X.. Coalition analysis in group decision and support. Group Decision and Negotiation, 2001, 10(2): 159-175.

[10] Nash J.F.. Equilibrium points in n-player games. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences, 1950, 36(1): 48-49.

[11] Nash J.F.. Non-cooperative games. Annals of Mathematics, 1951, 54(2): 286-295.

[12] Record Staff. (2007). Kitchener brownfield project wins national recognition. Waterloo Region Record, October 26, 2007. Available via DIALOG. http://news.therecord.com/article/261487. Cited September 14, 2008