Measuring consensus
For this paper, I wanted to compare mathematical techniques against group interaction in generating consensus for a ranking decision. I convened a group to come to consensus on ranking items needed for survival on the moon. I chose this problem because NASA has an approved solution. I solicited the group's individual rankings before and after discussion. I used Kendall's coefficient of concordance to measure the level of consensus before and after discussion and compared the results against individual qualitative responses to a questionnaire designed to also measure consensus. The approved solution allowed me to see if group felt more or less in agreement as they moved closer or farther from the approved solution. As background for this experiment, I researched the existing knowledge on measuring consensus. I make a distinction between consensus and successful consensus, define them, and operationalize them for the purposes of this study. I define different levels of consensus which can be reached regardless of the success of the consensus. In this experiment, I determined the interactive discussion produced consensus, but not successful consensus. The mathematical technique produced a ranking closer to the accepted answer than the group discussion did. 15 refs., 1 tab.
- Research Organization:
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (USA). Management Systems Labs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG02-88DP48058
- OSTI ID:
- 5893703
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/DP/48058-T10; ON: DE91012417
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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