Decision making study has been the multi-disciplinary research involving operations researchers, management scientists, statisticians, mathematical psychologists and economists as well as others. This study aims to investigate the theory and methodology of decision making research and apply them to different contexts in real cases. The study has reviewed the literature of Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), Evidential Reasoning (ER) approach, Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) movement, Social Judgment Theory (SJT), and Adaptive Toolbox (AT) program. On the basis of these literatures, two methods, Evidence-based Trade-Off (EBTO) and Judgment Analysis with Heuristic Modelling (JA-HM), have been proposed and developed to accomplish decision making problems under different conditions. In the EBTO method, we propose a novel framework to aid people s decision making under uncertainty and imprecise goal. Under the framework, the imprecise goal is objectively modelled through an analytical structure, and is independent of the task requirement; the task requirement is specified by the trade-off strategy among criteria of the analytical structure through an importance weighting process, and is subject to the requirement change of a particular decision making task; the evidence available, that could contribute to the evaluation of general performance of the decision alternatives, are formulated with belief structures which are capable of capturing various format of uncertainties that arise from the absence of data, incomplete information and subjective judgments. The EBTO method was further applied in a case study of Soldier system decision making. The application has demonstrated that EBTO, as a tool, is able to provide a holistic analysis regarding the requirements of Soldier missions, the physical conditions of Soldiers, and the capability of their equipment and weapon systems, which is critical in domain. By drawing the cross-disciplinary literature from NDM and AT, the JA-HM extended the traditional Judgment Analysis (JA) method, through a number of novel methodological procedures, to account for the unique features of decision making tasks under extreme time pressure and dynamic shifting situations. These novel methodological procedures include, the notion of decision point to deconstruct the dynamic shifting situations in a way that decision problem could be identified and formulated; the classification of routine and non-routine problems, and associated data alignment process to enable meaningful decision data analysis across different decision makers (DMs); the notion of composite cue to account for the DMs iterative process of information perception and comprehension in dynamic task environment; the application of computational models of heuristics to account for the time constraints and process dynamics of DMs decision making process; and the application of cross-validation process to enable the methodological principle of competitive testing of decision models. The JA-HM was further applied in a case study of fire emergency decision making. The application has been the first behavioural test of the validity of the computational models of heuristics, in predicting the DMs decision making during fire emergency response. It has also been the first behavioural test of the validity of the non-compensatory heuristics in predicting the DMs decisions on ranking task. The findings identified extend the literature of AT and NDM, and have implications for the fire emergency decision making.

¡§Individual¡¨is the basic analytic unit in a pluralistic society. Especially, phenomenon of public affairs is essence of the problem and is based on individual cognition, hidden in group behavior. The individual cognition forms group judgment and interpersonal influence in the group. This interpersonal influence process may simplify as the power relations between group members, the communication network and the interaction form in the group, and the opinion relations within the group (French, 1956). The conflict is the essential situation of interpersonal influence and also is one kind of relational form and phenomenon for group judgment. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the interpersonal influence and conduct interpersonal mutual cooperation in the public affairs area. The group decision-making (or judgment) can be explored based on observable individual preference and group decision-making. That can infer unobservable interpersonal influence. This interpersonal influence process transforms the individual judgment into the group decision-making. There are two stages in interpersonal influence process, including opinion formation for individual members, and compromise among group members. Namely, the individual might revise his or her preference voluntarily. The group integrates the revised members¡¦ judgments into group decision-making. That is, the group process resembles the process which individual integrates multi-cues like information integration theory (IIT) (Friedkin, 2005; Sniezek et al., 1989). The average cognitive algebra pattern in IIT may measure the interpersonal influence effectively. The theories of group decision-making are still insufficient. For example, social power theory and social comparison theory explain the concept of choice shift, but not positivism. Social decision scheme (SDS) employs decision scheme to predict the group decision-making, but it is insufficient for explaining the group decision-making process. Although social dilemma explores both individual level and group level, it cannot provide the weighting method. Cognitive conflict paradigm (CCP) discusses judgment policy shift, but preference shift is still not mentioned. Although CCP focuses on interpersonal learning, it does not propose how to weight interpersonal influence. The functional measurement theory in IIT may supplement insufficiencies in these theories.. The research utilizes the concept and the method of IIT, which prodivides experimental validity for explaining the complex interpersonal influence process by using social weight. This research uses budget allocation as discussion cases. Interpersonal conflicts are divided by the cognitive conflict and the interest conflict. By using social judgment theory (SJT), this research can analyze cognitive difference in the case of cognitive conflict. Besides, using quasi-experimental procedure in IIT, the findings of this research include: 1. In the group process, group members¡¦ judgments are integrated to group decision-making based on unequal-weight rule mostly. Members¡¦ social weights are different and depend on the level of members¡¦ preferences. 2. The members in different groups have the same preferences initially. Although social weights of these members are not significant difference in statistic, these members still appear the differences between individuals. 3. In cognitive conflict case, the group consensus is not consistently accompanied by cognitive consensus. 4. The group influence results from normative social influence, rather than from informational social influence. 5. It shows that there is negative correlation between social weight and normative effect. Besides, social weight and comprise degree also show negative.correlation 6. The cognitive feedback and the outcome feedback don¡¦t affect decision-making result. 7. The relationship between social weight and the degree of satisfaction is not supported. The social weight and the fairness of decision-making process show significant correlation 8. The subjects¡¦ decision-making performances in the study don¡¦t show significant difference

This research is in accordance with ¡§The Integrating Reference Frame of Public Affair Management¡]PAM¡^¡¨ to demonstrate ¡§The policy of the recognition of educational qualifications from Mainland Area¡¨ and apply Moore ¡¦s V.C.S., the triangle strategic analysis in Value, Capacity and Support addressed in 1995, in searching for the reference variables in value, capability and support while making policy and explain the different comprehensions among each policy-maker by the mold of Social Judgment Theory, SJT, engaging in the questionnaires of SJT and proposing the policy modification after comparing with general questionnaires to enhance the acceptance of the policy of the recognition of educational qualifications from Mainland Area. In Sept 1982, the Ministry of Education engaged in drafting ¡§The Method of the Examination and Recognition of Educational Qualifications from Mainland China¡¨ in accordance with ¡§Act Governing Relations between Peoples of The Taiwan Area and The Mainland Area¡¨ and released and administered the method in Oct 1997. However, next two years, this method was redressed from Control Yuan and put off the administration till now. Nevertheless, in more than one decade, cross-Straits policy and conditions, including international, politics, economy and society, has been changed a lot; the policy of the recognition of educational qualifications from Mainland area has been craved and even explored the avenue of judicatory relief without hesitation. The case of administrative lawsuit of ¡§the recognition of educational qualifications from Mainland area¡¨ filed by Cheng Shi-Chi, Mainland spouse, in May 2006 can be a good example. For this public policy of ¡§The Recognition of Educational Qualifications from Mainland China¡¨, the mode of policy-making what government considers seems closely bound up with the controversy of cross-Straits policy in Taiwan in these years. Its policy making is still being affected by the governing party and gets bogged down in the mud of dispute about nation independence and consolidation and becomes the clincher of social cognitive dispute in Taiwan. For solving such political predicament, the government must implement the perestroika on policy to decrease political factors in policy making. And for responding the intension of public policy which is under diversified society with various points of view, this text shall delve the related factors of policy in depth from the aspects of economy, society, politics and government to strengthen the systematic intension evaluated by public policy and refer this policy dilemma to the tactical issue. With using the V.C.S. tactical analysis to obtain the variables in the strategic decision and applying Social Judgment Theory in the individuals¡¦ cognition for the policy of recognition of educational qualifications from Mainland area and expect to reconcile the conflict of policy by clarifying the differences of cognition. To sum up, the research can be summarized as following four points. I. Most of people who took the questionnaires all think that the more policy formulation matching with the people's demand and considering the impact on education, the more the policy of "The Recognition of Educational Qualifications from Mainland China" shall be acceptable II. Most of people who took the questionnaires all think that the more policy formulation on considering the impact on the aspect of national security, the more the policy of "Recognition of Educational Qualifications from Mainland China" shall be unacceptable. III. With the three variables of policy-making, the students and parents from southern and northern Taiwan have different comprehensions for the policy of "Recognition of Educational Qualifications from Mainland China". IV. Most of people who agree at the recognition of educational qualifications from Mainland area are pre-engaging regarding the policy of "The Recognition of Educational Qualifications from Mainland Area" as the issue of people's demand; therefore, students' options for the location of studying overseas should be much respected. And those who disagree are pre-engaging regarding that policy as the issue of national security; the evaluation of impact on our intelligence security should be much taken account of while policy making. The solution should be setting off in social aspect to let people self-determine to comprehend the public affairs and build up a public sphere arising from the mechanism of liberty and equality. Per the mold that the public join the policy making with rational thinking and debating and integrating the individuals¡¦ different recognitions, making a common consensus in group and affecting the government in measure of administration to get the public value of policy back must be able to decrease the conflict in society and advance the development of society in harmony.

Ce travail de thèse questionne la perception de la féminité et sa relation au maquillage. Cette recherche est initiée par l’étude de l’impact du maquillage sur la modification d’une caractéristique du dimorphisme sexuel : le contraste facial (CF) (Russell, 2003, 2009). Nous avons démontré que malgré la pertinence du CF, celui-ci est insuffisant pour rendre compte du lien maquillage/féminité. Ces résultats nous interpellent quant à la seule présence du maquillage pour évaluer la féminité sans se référer aux caractéristiques biologiques. Le maquillage, par sa représentation sociale, est fortement lié à celle de la féminité. Le soin du corps qu’il représente en fait un élément central pour la féminité des femmes. Huguet et al. (2006) démontre l’existence d’un stéréotype « ce dont on a pris soin est bien » pouvant être activé par la présence de maquillage. Nous avons démontré l’existence d’une norme sociale astreignant les femmes à se maquiller pour être féminine, où le maquillage est une condition nécessaire pour obtenir non seulement des jugements de féminité élevés mais également un ensemble de caractéristiques positives. La perception de la féminité intègre dans son processus de réalisation à la fois des indices perceptifs mais fait également appel aux connaissances disponibles en mémoire, les stéréotypes, les représentations et les normes sociales rendues accessibles par le maquillage. Nous pouvons alors conclure que le maquillage n’est pas, par nature, féminin et positif mais qu’il est utilisé comme un élément de référence dans une conception multidimensionnelle de la féminité. / This project questions the perception of femininity and its relationship to make-up. It is prompted by the impact makeup has on the alteration of a sexual dimorphism characteristic : the facial contrast (FC) (Russell, 2003, 2009). We have shown that in spite the FC’s prominence, it remains insufficient to account for the link between make-up and femininity. The results challenge the presumption that makeup is present in assessing femininity, without taking into account biological characteristics. By its social representation, make-up is strongly linked to the idea of femininity. Because makeup is representative of self body-care in women, it becomes a central element for the representation of femininity. Huguet et al. (2006) demonstrates the existence of a stereotype such as « what has been cared for is good », which can be activated by the presence of makeup. We have demonstrated the existence of a social norm that compels women to wear make-up in order to be feminine exists, where makeup becomes a necessary condition for obtaining not only feminine judgements, but also a set of positive characteristics. The process of acknowledging the perception of femininity incorporates perceptive characteristics, as well as using available knowledge in memory, stereotypes, social representations and social norms brought to the fore by makeup. We can then conclude that make-up is not feminine and positive by nature, but that is used as a reference element in multi-dimensional perceptions of femininity.

Les objectifs principaux de cette thèse sont i) d’examiner comment la Responsabilité Sociale de l’Entreprise (RSE) affecte les relations avec les parties prenantes, ii) d’identifier les conditions aux limites dans lesquelles les actions de la RSE affecte les relations avec les parties prenantes de façon optimale, et iii) proposer les solutions pour améliorer la RSE dans les firmes. Afin d’atteindre ces objectifs, quatre études empiriques ont été effectuées dans l’Asie du Sud. Les données ont été collectées à travers une série de questionnaires envoyées aux managers d’haut niveau, employées et consommateurs. Les résultats démontrent un effet positif de la RSE sur les parties prenantes. La RSE n’est pas seulement importante pour les parties prenantes externes (consommateurs) mais aussi facilite le développement de bonnes relations entre la firme et ses parties prenantes internes (employées). Les conclusions de cette recherche soulignent le rôle important de la participation des employées dans le processus de prise de décision afin d’améliorer la RSE dans les firmes. En outre, la thèse souligne l’importance de la confiance des consommateurs envers l’entreprise ainsi que la satisfaction des consommateurs afin d’optimiser les conséquences de la RSE sur les relations avec les parties prenantes. / The main objectives of the dissertation are i) to examine how corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects stakeholder relationships, ii) to identify the boundary conditions in which CSR actions optimally affect stakeholder relationships, and iii) to prescribe ways to improve CSR in the firms. To achieve these objectives, four empirical studies were conducted in South Asia. Data were collected in a series of surveys with top managers, employees and consumers. The results show that CSR has a positive impact on stakeholders. CSR is not only important for external stakeholders (consumers) but also facilitates the building of good relationships between the firm and its internal stakeholders (employees). Findings emphasize the role of employee participation in decision making to improve CSR in the firms. In addition, the dissertation highlights the importance of consumer trust in the company as well as consumer satisfaction to optimize the affects of CSR on stakeholder relationships.