Methodology for Group Decision Support with an Application to Assessment of Residential Environment

Arrow´s general impossibility theorem shows that it is impossible in a general sense (under Arrow´s five axioms) to aggregate individuals´ value judgments into a social one [1]. In group decisionmaking, therefore, it seems rather important to analyze the group dynamics and/or to refine the information available for decisionmakers to help their mutual understanding. With this in mind, a method is suggested supporting group decision, which is called the extended contributive rule (ECR) method on the basis of the multiattribute utility theory and the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) method. In addition, the stated method will be applied to the assessment of the residential environment in Kyoto City in Japan.