The graph model for conflicts as a negotiation support system

GMCA (graph model for conflict analysis) is a comprehensive decision support system which was developed to assist decision-makers faced with complex strategic conflicts. GMCA works by building a graph model of the conflict and then analyzing it for stability. GMCA contains algorithms for the rapid application of a wide range of stability definitions, which together can express much of the diversity of human behavior in conflicts. To illustrate some of the key features of GMCA and its use in practice, a critical decision interval in a labor-management negotiation is examined in detail. The crucial factors affecting the outcome of the negotiation are identified explicitly. By determining the relatively few stable states of the negotiation conflict, GMCA can help decision-makers make choices that direct the negotiations toward more preferable endpoints