This article extends the growing body of research on computer-mediated communication to a negotiations setting. The author compares face-to-face negotiation outcomes with computer-mediated negotiation outcomes using an integrative (win-win) negotiation. There were two main results of interest. First, computer-mediated final agreements are somewhat more integrative than those negotiated face-to-face, suggesting there is no efficiency loss from negotiating long distance using information technology. Second, computer-mediated agreements tend to be significantly more equal than face-to-face agreements.

Decision making on spatial planning problems has to integrate recent advancements on geographical information systems with a framework that supports fair, rational and efficient decision making procedures. Such a framework will assist government and businesses with the retrieval, use and reuse of information in cooperative, distributed planning procedures requiring access to spatial data. This paper gives an overview of a computer-mediated group decision support system for the World Wide Web, namely ZENO. The target is to provide intelligent assistance to human mediators and other kinds of "trusted third parties" during the above procedures. The role of the system is to remain neutral and help assure that the interests and goals of all members of a group, regardless of their status, are respected and appreciated. In this paper, the system's features are illustrated with a retrospective model of a real urban planning example, concerning the allocation of a new technology park in the are...

The likelihood of a newly completed software system bringing desired advantages to organizational work depends, in part, upon the ability of users to recognize the functions and capabilities contained in the software. A preliminary evaluation attempts to assess the degree of match between designer and user perspectives of the software. Such an evaluation takes place after standard debugging and other error-correction procedures arc complete, but before the product is distributed for widespread use. In this paper we expound a preliminary evaluation approach for a group decision support system (GDSS) with the objective of contributing to the development of a standard evaluative procedure. The proposed approach consists of identifying and evaluating the GDSS in terms of its (1) functional, (2) holistic, and (3) interface characteristics. Applying this approach to a meeting software system, we were able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the system independent of the task for which it was used. We believe the approach presented here provides a useful addition to the GDSS evaluation process and allows for a better understanding of why different software designs have certain effects on the decision makers who use them.

to exploit recent advancements of computer science. Existing frameworks for

Business negotiation support systems (NSS) are slowly entering the market, although they lack a clear theoretical basis as of yet. Negotiation is a complicated process with many aspects that have only partially been described with the formal rigidity needed to build support systems. Most theories about negotiation are descriptive and not prescriptive, which, among other things, prevents their use as a basis for negotiation support systems. Complicating matters is that a negotiation process consists of several distinct stages, each with its own characteristics. Furthermore, there are many types of negotiations, depending on the domain. This suggests that we should not strive for one general negotiation support system, but for a set of domain-specific tools. To ground the development and application of these tools in different scenarios of use, we propose an integrated theoretical framework. After giving an overview of existing negotiation support approaches, we construct a business negotiation support metamodel for NSS analysis. The metamodel is illustrated through analyzing the case of the MeMo project, which concerns contract negotiations in small and medium enterprises in the European construction industry. The MeMo system is one of the first business NSS with an explicit international orientation.

The paper discusses the integration of currently commercially available techniques and supporting tools for constructing a specialized groupware application namely a distributed negotiation support system. It presents the different aspects of the integration methods and analyzes the actual design of a DIstributed NEgotiation Support Shell (DINE). The DINE model supports simultaneous, multiple issue, independent, peer-to-peer negotiations. It allows the integration of existing negotiation support techniques which, as opposed to DINE, mostly focus on those scenarios where the negotiation issues are shared by all negotiators. The latter techniques will be used to support the independent peer-to-peer negotiations in DINE. Negotiators may in fact use any tool even without DINE, as long as it supports the same peerto -peer information sharing protocol. At the same time, DINE is a generalized multiple criteria decision making model where the alternatives to be ranked are compound subsets of n...

Abstract. We propose a groupware tool supporting the Software Quality Function Deployment approach to software requirements validation. The design challenge is to involve several stakeholders, having conflicting views and attitudes which may be difficult to reconcile, in the requirements validation. The adopted approach integrates collaboration and negotiation support. Negotiation models inspired the development of a set of mechanisms promoting integrative attitudes and avoiding distributive ones. Experiments with the tool revealed some usability problems, but also showed that it is convenient to use and beneficial promoting consensus. 1.

The advent of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce market has created needs and opportunities for firms to negotiate deals online. Most negotiation support systems (NSS) in past research are text-based and the related findings could not be generalized to negotiating situations utilizing advanced electronic communication technology. This paper investigates the impact of NSS and conflict level on negotiation outcomes where participants communicated through a videoconferencing channel. Findings suggested that dyads with videoconferencing NSS support achieved higher joint outcome, but spent more time in reaching agreements - in low but not high conflict negotiation situation. Conclusion and implications were drawn.

Negotiation is a decentralized decision-making process that seeks to find an agreement which will satisfy the requirements of two or more parties in the presence of limited common knowledge and conflicting preferences. Negotiation participants are agents who negotiate on their own behalf or represent the interests of their principals. When electronic negotiations enter the stage, these agents could be intelligent software entities that take part in the process of searching for an acceptable agreement. The degree of involvement of these “intelligent agents ” in negotiations can range from supporting human negotiators (e.g. information search, offer evaluation) to fully automating the conduct of negotiations. Choosing the degree of involvement depends upon the characteristics of the problem in the negotiation. In this chapter, we review electronic negotiation systems and intelligent agents for negotiations. Different types of negotiation agents, their roles and requirements, and various methods for effective support or conduct of negotiations are discussed. Selected applications of intelligent negotiation agents are presented.

unterstützt werden kann. In diesem Beitrag versuchen wir Mediationssysteme zu definieren und von allgemeineren Groupware-Typen abzugrenzen. Considering the roles and tasks ("use cases") in a standard mediation procedure, we identified many possible applications of existing software tools to support the mediation process. Several core components supporting a wide range of mediation tasks were found. The paper attempts to define mediation systems and distinguish them from more general purpose groupware. 1.