Title: What is meant by normalisation in decision making?

Authors: Willem Karel Brauers

Addresses: Faculty of Applied Economics and Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Antwerp, Birontlaan, 97, Berchem-Antwerpen, B2600, Belgium

Abstract: Normalisation means reduction to a normal or standard state. However, the term got many interpretations in many fields such as in international politics and in technology. In the last case, the stress is mainly put on the unification of diverting systems of measurement. As decision making is interested in measurement, normalisation in technology is a main starting point, besides normalisation in money terms and in dimensionless measures, whereas scales of measurement and measurement of quality may trouble the insight. Personal touch may influence the normalisation process too, under the form of decision-makers or of stakeholders.

Keywords: normalisation; decision making; measurement; cost-benefit; cost effectiveness; dimensionless measures; scales of measurement; stakeholders; technology; quality measurement; money; monetary terms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2007.013411

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2007 Vol.8 No.5/6, pp.445 - 460

Published online: 27 Apr 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article