AHP in political group decisions: A study in the art of possibilities

One of the most heated political controversies in Åbo in recent years was the optimal location of a grand, new ice-hockey arena-later to become the main venue of the 1991 world championships in ice hockey. A group of local administrators put together an AHP model (with helpful guidance from the authors) and decided the best location. This was, however, not the final outcome. The political groups agreed on the third ranked site. The political process rarely recognizes optimal decisions; it can be politically convenient to make inconsistent decisions.