THE DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM GMCR IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT-MANAGEMENT

The graph model for conflict resolution is put forward as a unique dec ision technology for systematically studying strategic conflicts that can arise in environmental management and elsewhere. This flexible con flict resolution methodology has solid and realistic mathematical foun dations which permit it to model strategic decisions accurately, forec ast compromise solutions, and assist in assessing the political, econo mic, environmental, and social viability of alternative scenarios to r esolving environmental conflicts. To permit practitioners to convenien tly apply the graph model for conflict resolution to practical real-wo rld conflict problems, a ne iv decision support system called GMCR II (Graph Model for Conflict Resolution II) is designed. To explain the b asic structure of GMCR II and how it works in practice, this paper des cribes its use to model and analyze an international environmental man agement dispute that took place in North America. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1997.