Elsevier

Knowledge-Based Systems

Volume 11, Issues 3–4, 12 November 1998, Pages 191-196
Knowledge-Based Systems

Conflict group decision training: model and system1

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0950-7051(98)00045-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Conflict group decision is an important application domain of group decision support systems (GDSS). Based on the analysis of the conflict environment, this paper presents an architecture and a decision model for conflict group decision support systems (CGDSS). The model incorporates the rule-based reasoning and voting-based decisions, supports continue, foreseeable, and adjustable decisions based on the conflict situation feedback. The architecture and model are then applied to the implementation of a conflict group decision training system. An airforce conflict group decision training example is used to demonstrate the system.

Introduction

Conflict group decision support system (CGDSS) will play an important role in conflict applications such as economics, politics and the military. In these applications exist two conflict decision groups, each of which wants to reach a target with limited resources. One group's target and decision contradict the other's, and need to be adjusted according to the change of conflict situation. A group's decision will affect, but does not need to wait for the opponent's decision.

Dynamic decision is a research topic of decision support systems (DSS) 2, 8, 10. Its applications involve production control and planning 3, 11, scheduling [5],…, etc. Support systems are made adaptable by using a learning scheme [7]. Feedback and cognitive aspects are also investigated 4, 9, 12. While in these applications, the feedback is relatively passive, each decision causes no any active and dangerous response, and can be adjusted to reach a better outcome through properly processing the feedback. The dynamic decision approaches can not meet the need of the conflict applications.

The mathematical models of two-person games 1, 6is a multi-step decision in a structured and well-defined conflict environment. Each decision step of one person is required to wait for the decision of the opponent. The situation remains unchanged until a person makes a decision. These models are not suitable for continuous decisions in semi-structured (or unstructured) conflict environment consisting of huge amounts of information.

To incorporate knowledge base, model base and database technology is a feasible approach for supporting decision in the conflict application domain. Based on the analysis of the conflict environment, this paper proposes an architecture and a decision model of CGDSS incorporating the rule-based reasoning, feedback evaluation and voting-based decision. They are then applied to implement a conflict decision training system. An airforce conflict decision training example demonstrates the training process.

Section snippets

Conflict environment

A conflict environment (as shown in Fig. 1) consists of two conflict groups (group0 and group1) and a common conflict situation (the dashed block). In order to reach a target, a group needs to adjust the `old' plan in terms of the feedback information consisting of current situation and the opponent's decision. The situation reflects the resources of the two conflict groups (R0 and R1). For example, the main resources of airforce are fighters, airports, radar and oil supply. Each group makes

An architecture of CGDSS

The architecture of CGDSS for a decision group is presented as shown in Fig. 2. The rule base manages production rules that are categorised for reasoning, decision, evaluation, adjustment and plan selection. The model base manages algorithms for solving mathematical problems in the decision process such as linear programming, statistic, linear equation,…, etc. The plan base manages pre-made plan frameworks for different possible situations, each framework is a series of decision steps with

Decision model

This section presents the decision model of the CGDSS.

Conflict group decision training system

The proposed architecture and the decision model have been applied to implement a conflict group decision training system.

Summary

This paper presents a framework for conflict group decision support systems. It consists of the definition of the conflict environment, an architecture of the system and a decision model. The characteristic of the proposed framework is to incorporate the rule-based reasoning, voting-based group decision, feedback-based adjustment, and the data-based resources evaluation. The proposed framework has been applied to the implementation of a conflict decision training system. An airforce conflict

Acknowledgements

The author thanks the editor and anonymous referees for their helpful comments on the earlier version of this paper.

References (12)

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Cited by (10)

  • Computer-based collaborative training for transportation security and emergency response

    2010, Computers in Industry
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    In a closely related area of research, group decision support systems (GDSS), a lot of work has been done in exploring dynamic decisions. For instance, a continuous decision support system for conflict group decisions based on rules and rule-based reasoning was developed by Zhuge [16]. It is often the case that traditional decision models focus on methods by which to reach a decision while neglecting environmental changes that unfold during the decision making time [17].

  • Approaches for community decision making and collective reasoning: Knowledge technology support

    2012, Approaches for Community Decision Making and Collective Reasoning: Knowledge Technology Support
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The work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grant No. 69773002.

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