A SYSTEMS THEORY OF MULTI-LEVEL, MULTIPLE OBJECTIVE EVALUATION AND DECISION-MAKING†

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Abstract
The paper outlines an open systems approach to modeling human evaluation and decision-making, both individual and collective. It specifies and elaborates a number of premises which are seen as being basic to any attempt at model building and which stand in opposition to many of the questionable psychological and sociological assumptions underlying game theory as well as most theories of decision-making. A multi-level, multiple objective model of evaluation and decision-making is presented in Part I, Parts II and III are concerned with the general question of the effects of complexity and conflict, arising from the interrelatedness of action systems and processes, on decision behavior and effectiveness, and the strategies actors utilize to deal with such complexity. The theoretical framework is used to shed light on such matters as conflict in evaluation and decision-making, intransitivity, the Arrow paradox, and the unintended and sub-optimal outcomes of "rational" piecemeal decisions and actions.

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