Ask Dan!

What is a negotiation support system?
by Dan Power
Editor, DSSResources.com

Negotiation Support Systems (NSS) are designed to assist negotiators in reaching mutually satisfactory decisions by providing a means of communication and through the analysis of available information (cf., Bui and Shakun, 2004). Negotiation support may involve using a model-driven, data-driven, communications-driven, document-driven or a knowledge-driven DSS. This sub-category of computerized decision support systems is defined by the purpose of the system.

Negotiations involve multiple interdependent, sequential decisions by at least 2 parties to the negotiation. There is some disagreement or conflict of interest among these parties that may be subject to resolution. The parties both perceive a need to bargain or negotiate rather than accept what the other party would voluntarily give them.

Kersten and Lo (2001) describe Negotiation Support Systems as "designed to help and advise negotiators; they are used to structure and analyse the problem, elicit preferences and use them to construct a utility function, determine feasible and efficient alternatives, visualise different aspects of the problem and the process, and facilitate communication."

Read the full article here.

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Upcoming Decision Support Related Conferences

September 3-7 Regensburg - Germany	DaWaK 2007, 9th International Conference on Data Warehousing and Knowledge Discovery
December 9 Montreal, Quebec - Canada	Pre-ICIS SIG DSS Workshop Papers due August 20, 2007.
July 1-4, 2008 Toulouse - France	IFIP TC8/WG8.3 DSS Working Conference Papers due November 16, 2007.

Report from Second Life Geek Meet Workshops

On July 31, 2007 and August 7, 2007, I attended the Geek Meet co-hosted by Information Week, Dr. Dobb's Journal, and Metaversed.com. The event is hosted by Ziggy Figaro, alter ego of InformationWeek writer and editor Mitch Wagner. The new voice client worked well at the first event, but not the second. Voice works well in Second Life when it works.

On July 31, 2007, the hot topic was IBM's new rule of conduct for employees in Second Life. The panel was split about how much company management should control the behavior of employees working in Second Life. We briefly discussed my proposal to create Business and Education Second Life applications. Avatar Lem Skall said "I agree with Leinad, I suggested having planet Corporate, planet Education." Avatar John Zhaoying retorted "Nobody would visit planet corporate except at gunpoint." A number of people noted we could have identity verification in other ways. Perhaps Geek Meet will have an entire session on creating a more business and university friendly sim.

During the discussion, Ziggy Figaro asked "If I as an employee of a public sector entity am expected to conduct business in SL following my employers code of behaviour, what is wrong with that? Can there not be Professional Jane on the job and Tiny Jane dancing in a bunny avatar off the job?" What do readers think?

The debate goes on about how business and education organizations can realistically exploit Linden Lab's sim technology.

On August 7, the topic was Twitter with guest Israel Tank aka Biz Stone. Both names sound like avatar names, so check the blog at bizstone.com. Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service that helps users send "updates", text-based posts, up to 140 characters long, using instant messaging, Short Message Service (SMS), or a web interface. Updates are displayed on the user's profile page and also instantly delivered to other users who have signed up to receive them. Israel Tank noted "there's a Twitter for Second Life called Twitterbox." Ziggy Figaro admitted "I just use iTweets in my iPhone browser to pick up my Tweets away from the computer." Tateru Nino quipped "Ziggy's gotten at least 10% sexier on Twitter since he started using the iPhone, it's true."

Second Life workshops are much better than Podcasts or Webcasts. More interaction and a much more memorable experience. I felt involved in an event. Contact me by Instant Message in Second Life, Dan Power avatar Leinad Meriman. Check for me on Tuesdays at 8 am Linden and Fridays at noon Linden time for the regular Geek Meets at the amphitheater on Dr. Dobb's Island.

Ciao.