An Experimental Assessment of Coleman's Linear System of Action for Supporting Policy Negotiations

Johannes S. Timmermans and Giampiero E.G. Beroggi
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Johannes S. Timmermans: Wpoint Interactive
Giampiero E.G. Beroggi: Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, 2004, vol. 10, issue 3, No 5, 267-285

Abstract: Abstract We report on an experimental assessment of the applicability of Coleman's Linear System of Action (LSA) to policy negotiations. In LSA, policy negotiations are modeled as exchange of control over issues. LSA allows one to compute the equilibrium control distribution for a group of decision makers, based on their distributions of preferences for, and control over, the issues at stake. The LSA theory, however, does not address the process of how the decision makers should exchange control over the issues to arrive at the equilibrium control. We test in an experimental setting partial and full LSA-based support vs. no support, for three different social structures among the decision makers engaging in repeated bilateral negotiation rounds. The results of the laboratory experiment indicate that the level of LSA support affects the negotiation process and the efficiency of reaching the equilibrium, while the influence of the decision makers' social structure is less clear. These results suggest that Coleman's LSA concept can be employed to support policy negotiations in a practical setting.

Keywords: policy decision making; group decision making; negotiation support; Coleman's linear system of action (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2004
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DOI: 10.1023/B:CMOT.0000045372.79166.99

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