Method for collective decision-making

Abstract

A method and a computer program product for promoting collaborative, consensus-driven decisions from a plurality of decision-making entities using electronic communications in a real-time forum. The inventive instant messaging application can be used for registering participants, developing forum pages, communicating queries, receiving messages and tallying responses that can enable implementation of online trading transactions. The application module and support databases are maintained by one or more central coordinators that reside as software objects on a server. Setpoint values are used for measuring the extent to which the participants' cumulative response satisfies one or more decision parameters. Arbitration and intra-group caucusing can also be initiated as a means to promote consensus and arrive at a collective decision. The collective decision can be used to initiate a specific course of action that may involve further communications with one or more remote trading networks.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09 / 923,573, filed Aug. 7, 2001.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a method of collective decision-making using electronic communication media. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] There are computer-implemented programs currently available to support network conferencing, such as teleconferencing, videoconferencing and the like. These programs extend traditional conferencing capabilities from conference centers, where groups of individuals assemble in the same room, to the desktop computer where individuals can participate in conferences from their home or office. In addition, multi-user interaction can be advanced through collaboration management programs that enable data sharing across multiple hardware and software platforms. [0006] For systems that permit sharing of data tied to application programs, it is generally required to share the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] The invention also provides a computer program product including instructions embodied on a computer readable medium. The instructions comprise: maintaining instructions for maintaining identification of a group of decision-making entities in a memory device; maintaining instructions for maintaining a setpoint representing a minimum cumulative support required to implement a proposed action; communicating instructions for communicating a query to the plurality of decision-making entities, wherein the query includes a description of the proposed action; receiving instructions for receiving query responses from the plurality of decision-making entities, wherein each response includes an indicator of support for the proposed action; determining instructions for determining the cumulative support from the query responses received; and implementing instructions for automatically implementing the decision if the cumulative support is greater than the setpoint.

Problems solved by technology

A problem that often occurs in these network systems is that individual users compete for access to application programs.

Such competing interests interfere with data flow and as a result, preclude the use of more efficient methods that can only be exploited in a collaborative environment.

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