Interactive multiobjective analysis and assimilative capacity-based ocean disposal decisions

The problem of locating ocean disposal sites requires difficult pollution-cost tradeoffs. The ill-structured nature of such problems suggests that decision aids in tune with the philosophy of decision support would be more effective than convergent, optimization-oriented interactive MOP techniques. In an experimental study the free search interactive programming technique Pareto Race was used in conjunction with an LP model of pollution-cost tradeoffs to analyze a hypothetical decision to relocate sewage sludge disposal operations in the New York Bight. Pareto Race does indeed appear to stimulate subjects to seek and find problem solutions they prefer to their initial selections. But they do not necessarily prefer solutions with higher utility, a finding which the authors interpret as a partial success for Pareto Race in stimulating subjects to engage in search and learning, in some cases altering their basic decision rules as a result.