Conflict Resolution: The Analytic Hierachy Approach

This book demonstrates a new way to analyze and negotiate conflict resolution. It provides a framework in which conflicting parties can participate partly, fully, or not at all. Unlike the traditional quantitative approach, this new approach deals with tangible and intangible factors including political skill, diplomacy, threats, and concessions. Intangible factors are measured and traded off against tangible ones. A thorough discussion of the Analytic Hierarchy Process is followed by its application to a series of current world conflicts including Northern Ireland, South Africa, and the Middle East. Retributive conflicts are then given special attention. Cases include the Canadian/U.S. free-trade negotiations. This is a valuable text for senior courses in political science, diplomacy, management science, and operations research.The Analytic Hierarchy Process is a theory for structuring complex decision problems and developing measurement for intangible criteria. The authors suggest that a student's application of this methodology to an existing conflict results in a successful learning situation. Conflict Resolution not only provides students with a background on a variety of current world conflicts but also shows them how to handle these complex issues.