A framework for conducting political event analysis using group support systems

Corporations seeking to expand their operations internationally often encounter certain political events that they do not encounter domestically. Political events are those events that may occur because of the actions or decisions made by certain political actors having influence in a region. Such event include corruption, currency fluctuations, and civil unrest. However, obtaining information and insight about such events from local knowledgeable persons is often difficult due to authoritarian governments and/or cultural environments that discourage open criticism. We present a framework for using group support systems under such conditions. The framework consists of methods that can be employed depending on the number of events (unidimensional or multidimensional) and time periods (static or dynamic) of interest. Each method is illustrated with local Hong Kong business executives addressing the future of Hong Kong as a desirable place to conduct multinational operations.