%0 Journal Article
%@ 0030-364X
%A Fishburn, P.C.
%A Keeney, R.L.
%D 1975
%F iiasa:14016
%I INFORMS
%J Operations Research
%N 5
%P 928-940
%R 10.1287/opre.23.5.928
%T Generalized Utility Independence and Some Implications
%U https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/id/eprint/14016/
%V 23
%X This paper introduces the concept of generalized utility independence. Subject to various generalized utility independence assumptions, we derive three functional forms for a multiattribute von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function u. These are the additive, the multiplicative, and the quasi-additive forms, each of which expresses u as a combination of utility functions defined on the separate attributes. It is demonstrated that if u is unbounded from above and below, then given the three forms, either reversal of preferences over some attributes occurs or else the additive form must hold.