Introducing the IDDI System

Methods for Group Decision Making

The following discussion highlights two methods for group decision making: the Delphi Technique and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The details of each approach are highlighted, and recommendations are given to help determine the suitable scenarios where each can be applied. Goodman (1987) explained that the Delphi Technique was established in the 1950s when California’s Rand Corporation was inspired to develop a method for eliminating the negative influence of interpersonal interactions during expert meetings for group decision making. As such, its ultimate objective was to generate dialogue and present a medley of vantage points that could facilitate judgements and ensuing policies and/or recommendations. Named after the Greek god and Delphi oracle, Apollo Pythios, whose skills at predicting the future were highly regarded, the Delphi Technique was given ties to an idyllic extreme of unquestioned wisdom and infallible authority (Yousuf, 2007). According to Row...

The Prediction and Reality of Organ Transplants

Hancock and Bezold (2017) clarified that instead of studying the nonexistent future, futurists are concerned with studying ideas about the future and operate under the assumption that the future is a moldable thing that can be shaped by the decisive actions of today. The following discussion highlights a prediction within the medical community that eventually came to fruition. The original idea is introduced and the history of its subsequent origin and evolution is reviewed. Concluding remarks summarize the main discussion points. According to Northfield (2019), Robert Boyle’s scientific research conducted during the 1660s earned him the recognition of being hailed as the father of modern chemistry. Although he is most known for Boyle’s Law and its explanation of the behaviors of gas, Keller (2012) also emphasized his forward-thinking visions of a potential future. His futurist thoughts were penned in a private journal and itemized as a wish list of possibilities whic...

Exploring the Collapse of Tower Records

As noted by Marks (2017), the “No Music, No Life” outlook of Tower Records, an international retail music chain, launched its brand into almost 200 locations and, at its peak in the late 1990s, yielded annual sales topping one billion dollars. In 2006, however, Tower Records filed for bankruptcy. The following discussion explores two of the external forces contributing to this demise, emphasizing the fact that deterioration sometimes occurs because of factors beyond the control of the organization. Concluding remarks focus on the relevance of the identified forces. Marks (2017) detailed the origin story of Tower Records and explained that it was the brainchild of Russell Solomon who opened the first location in Sacramento, California in 1960. While it started as a record retailer, it eventually grew to include posters, plants, books, DVDs, games, toys, and accessories. Stores popped up across the globe to respond to its increase in demand and, in addition to becoming a place to purch...

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