In solving a variety of problems, decision makers use scales of measurement based on subjective judgments to choose among alternative plans or to select optimal strategies. This project is an attempt to understand in a systematic way the limitations that properties of scales of measurement place on the conclusions one may meaningfully draw using such scales in decision making contexts. Such limitations will be examined for conclusions from averaging or merging techniques used to combine individual judgments, from relative scores used to choose among alternative technologies or alternative candidates, from attempts to find an optimal strategy, and from models used for solving practical problems involving resource allocation, communications, transportation, technology assessment, etc. Various theoretical questions about the theory of scales of measurement that underlay its use in the analysis of decision making problems will be studied, and the theory will be applied to some practical problems.
