Abstract

Although a great deal of quantitative analysis has been done on multiple person conflict situations relatively little has been said explicitly about the actual process of such bargaining and the coalitions formed. As we know, however, the process of coalition formation is often the over-riding consideration, such as in voting in political bodies. The present paper presents an initial structure of the process of coalition formation suitable for discussing such circumstances and presents several possible prescriptive models. Solutions to these models are compared with some experimental evidence, and the results interpreted in a manner that sheds further light on those factors which may influence coalition formation.