A Matrix Representation of Attitudes in Conflicts

A formal matrix representation for analyzing a decision maker´s (DM´s) attitudes in a conflict is defined and applied to the problem of negotiating the acquisition of a brownfield property by a developer from a property owner. A DM´s attitudes are expressed in her or his consideration of her own preferences, as well as those of her opponents. Understanding these attitudes is essential to having a grasp on the possible outcomes of a given conflict. However, these attitudes are often difficult to represent and even more difficult to encode effectively within a decision support system. Therefore, a matrix representation, which constitutes a more efficient way of expressing attitudes in a programming environment, is developed in this research.