On contractibility of the orbit space of a \(G\)-poset of Brauer pairs (Q1284237)

\textit{P. Symonds} [Comment. Math. Helv. 73, No. 3, 400-405 (1998; Zbl 0911.20020)], proved Webb's conjecture that, for a finite group \(G\) and a prime \(p\) dividing \(| G|\), the \(G\)-simplicial complex of chains of nontrivial \(p\)-subgroups of \(G\) has a contractible orbit space. The paper under review deals with generalizations of this theorem. One of its main results shows that, for a \(p\)-block \(b\) of positive defect in a finite group \(G\), the \(G\)-simplicial complex of chains of Brauer pairs \((P,e)\) strictly containing \((1,b)\) has a contractible orbit space.