The project plans to explore a new multiparty model of decision-making, focusing on medical care. Every day, consumers make many decisions. While many are relatively trivial, some are critical to individual wellbeing including adherence to medical treatment plans. Moreover, many of these critical decisions involve complex and multidimensional trade-offs. This project intends to break from tradition by conceptualising complex decision-making as multiparty (primarily the focal consumer, parents/carers and medical experts) rather than being confined to an expert–customer dyad. The project plans to investigate how complex multiparty decisions are made, measuring the relative influence of each of the parties on the formation of collective preferences. The project expects to test new theory, develop new measurement tools for studying choice, and to provide practical recommendations.

Funding: $330,000

Project members

Researchers

Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy (UQ Business School)

Associate Professor Leonard Coote (UQ Business School)

Professor Claire Wainwright

Professor Scott Bell

Professor Michael Brady.