A procedure is presented to evaluate the appropriateness of alternative methodologies for analyzing a specified problem. This procedure is illustrated by identifying desirable characteristics of nuclear power plant site selection methodologies and evaluating the adequacy of methodologies that...

In this paper we develop a conceptual framework and model for valuing risks to an individual's health and life and to support decision making about investments in health, quality of life, and safety. Our treatment of health risks in the model builds on the popular quality-adjusted-life-year...

The modeling of many complex phenomena necessarily relies on numerous interrelated judgments. This paper illustrates an application of the concepts of multiattribute utility assessment, based on the professional judgments of one physician, to scale the trauma severity of injuries to individuals....

Choices that require multiple stakeholders to balance conflicting objectives are among today's most controversial decisions. Although many techniques exist for helping decision makers to select among projects, little attention has been given to processes for identifying improved alternatives...

With many large-scale projects, such as power plants, some members of the public will necessarily incur a risk. Public fatalities may result from either normal operations (e.g., via pollution) or accidents. Often in such cases, a small group of the public incur the risks, whereas a different...

One of the important methodological problems concerning the application of decision analysis to complex problems is the restrictiveness of existing techniques for systematically assessing multiattributed utility functions valid for decision making under uncertainty. This is the problem addressed...

A risk assessment model is developed to relate adverse health effects to alternative carbon monoxide standards. The analysis requires information in the form of available data and expert judgments concerning factors such as ambient CO level, human exposure to CO, physiological responses, and...

Internet commerce has the potential to offer customers a better deal compared to purchases by conventional methods in many situations. To make this potential a reality, businesses must focus on the values of their customers. We interviewed over one-hundred individuals about all the pros and cons...

Objectives have long been considered a basis for sound decision making. This research examines the ability of decision makers to generate self-relevant objectives for consequential decisions. In three empirical studies, participants consistently omitted nearly half of the objectives that they...

Several approaches exist to illuminate and clarify public values relevant for making public policy decisions. These include surveys, indirect and direct value elicitation, focus groups and public involvement. This paper describes a new approach, called the public value forum, which combines...