[DSRP Evidence](https://dsrpevidence.org/)

# Delphi Method: A Democratic Dialectical, Consensus Seeking Open Systems Approach

Sankaran S, Ang K, Hase S, 2023, Journal of Systems Thinking 3(1):1-15 — Business & Management

Patterns: [Relationships](https://dsrpevidence.org/pattern/relationships)

## In short

Describes the Delphi method, in which experts answer rounds of anonymous questions until their answers converge, and its use in management research.

## What they found (results)

Experts revise their answers between rounds in light of the group's aggregated responses, and the iteration converges toward consensus.

## What they set out to do (purpose)

A chapter applying the Delphi method — anonymous, aggregated rounds of expert response — to management research in ambiguous and uncertain situations.

## Abstract

In this chapter the Delphi method, a dialectical and consensus seeking approach, is applied to management research in ambiguous and uncertain situations. The Delphi method is essentially a process in which responses from many rounds of questions are sent to a group of leaders or experts. This happens for several iterations, and the responses are anonymous and also aggregated prior to sharing in each round. Notably, the leaders/ experts alter their response to the same questions after each round - largely due to the responses they have seen from the larger group. In sum, this process is believed to eventually create consensus as to the correct response for each question.

These researchers were not testing DSRP. The finding is theirs; the correspondence to DSRP is drawn by this site.

[Source](https://doi.org/10.54120/jost.0000014)