that can affect group decisions. Applications Decision-analytic methods have been used in a wide variety of fields, including business (planning, marketing, negotiation), management, environmental remediation, health care, research, energy, exploration, litigation and dispute resolution, etc. An important early application was a study of the pros and cons of hurricane seeding, undertaken by the Stanford Research Institute in the early 1970s for the Environmental Science Services Administration (a predecessor of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Decision analysis is today used by major corporations to make multibillion-dollar capital investments. For example, In 2010, Chevron won the Decision Analysis Society Practice Award for its use of decision analysis in all major decisions. In a video detailing Chevron's use of decision analysis, Chevron Vice Chairman George Kirkland notes that "decision analysis is a part of how Chevron does business for a simple, but powerful, reason: it works." It can also be used to make complex personal decisions, such as planning for retirement, deciding when to have a child, planning a major vacation, or choosing among several possible medical treatments. Energy. Decision analysis has been used to structure the energy objectives for Germany. Entrepreneurship. The concept of certainty equivalents from decision analysis was used to design novel and highly efficient mechanisms for funding of new businesses that are desirable to both backers and entrepreneurs. Health Care. Decision analysis has been applied to medical decision making regarding breast cancer diagnosis and therapy, treatment of thyroid cancer, and lung cancer. Insurance. Decision analysts have explored the use of insurance as a mechanism to encourage adoption of beneficial health behaviors. The method has also been applied to determine optimal strategies for purchase of long-term care insurance as a function of age, wealth, and risk tolerance. Litigation. Attorneys have used decision analysis to identify strategies likely to lead to beneficial outcomes in litigation. Portfolio Management. Decision analysis has been recommended as a method of improving resource allocations in portfolio management. Military Planning. Decision analysis has been applied to the problem of base closure. Radioactive Waste. Decision analysis has been used to evaluate alternatives for radioactive-waste repositories in both the United States and the United Kingdom. At a smaller scale, it has also been used to evaluate options for dealing with surplus weapons-grade plutonium. Research and Development. Decision analysis has been used to recommend portfolios of projects to fund in research and development. Terrorism and Homeland Security. Decision analysis