A flexible concept for decision support: Evaluation and selection of suitable product development activities

Because of pragmatic reasons actual decision behaviour often differs from rationality requirements of decision theory. Against this background, a new concept for decision support has been developed opening up the opportunity to choose between different levels of evaluation. The characteristic feature of the proposed concept is its foundation in rationality postulates of decision theory while considering pragmatic requirements simultaneously. Thereby, the concept must be perceived as a frame within which the decision process may be formed in a flexible way. It has been drawn up and is presented in connection with the devleopment of a decision support system for comparative evaluation and selection of product development activities.