Multi-attribute utility methods in group decision making: Past applications and potential for inclusion in group decision support systems

This paper reviews a variety of studies in which multi-attribute utility theory (MAU) has been used successfully to aid group decision processes and discusses the incorporation of MAU in group decision support systems (GDSS). GDSS of various levels of automation have been proposed to aid group decision making. A number of commercial GDSS are available which are capable of aiding generation of alternatives, their evaluation, and selection. Many authors have promoted the incorporation of quantitative decision making models in GDSS. The most appropriate quantitative tool for GDSS is MAU, but MAU has rarely been utilized. The cases reviewed illustrate that the use of MAU techniques is not prohibitively difficult or complex.