A GROUP DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR MULTILINGUAL GROUPS

Communication in multilingual groups is very difficult. Even if all participants in the group know a common language, it may be a first language for some of the group and a second language for others. Communication in such situations is not equal for all group members. A multilingual Group Decision Support System (GDSS) allows all members to communicate in their native languages, eliminating the group's linguistic problems. This paper describes a prototype multilingual GDSS that provides a high degree of translation accuracy while providing other benefits of Group Decision Support Systems, such as anonymity, parallel communication, and automated recording of the discussion.