| Crisis management is a difficult task. Decision makers must consider a huge amount of information and explore interrelationships between factors which may influence the decision. Relevant knowledge and experience are required to consistently deal with information and decision models, and to perform sound evaluations. The current lack of existing suitable computer-based tools, that make the knowledge of crisis experts widely available to crisis managers, makes performing the crisis management activities very time consuming.; A knowledge-based decision support system (CRISIS KB-DSS) that supports all the tasks of the crisis management process was developed in this research. CRISIS KB-DSS supports the following activities: crisis recognition, crisis perception, information processing, consultation, alternatives evaluation, decision formulation, and action implementation.; A crisis behavior model has been adapted and used as an integrated framework for the crisis management process. A normative framework for crisis decision-making has also been adapted and used. It incorporates the following four multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) techniques: Weighted Average Method (WAM), PROMETHEE II, ELECTRE II, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The macro programming language of Quattro Pro and an Expert system shell ESTA have been integrated and used as the development environment.; A framework for verifying, validating, and evaluating the CRISIS KB-DSS has been adapted and used. The MCE models and developed knowledge bases that are part of this framework were validated through published case studies. The overall CRISIS KB-DSS was evaluated via historical case studies of the Eastern crisis, Crimean crisis, Russo-Japanese crisis, and Sudeten crisis. Using the actual settings, goals, and perceptions, CRISIS KB-DSS was applied to each case and results compared with actual outcomes, results from game theory, and results from using the theory of true types of bargaining.; CRISIS KB-DSS was shown to be a valuable tool for supporting the overall crisis management process, providing a unified framework that considers both technical and behavioral aspects of the crisis management process. CRISIS KB-DSS was easy to use and was effective in dealing with crises. |
