Dorien J. DeTombe Knihy

The reviewed and edited papers discussed in Munich 1996 at the jointly-organized 2nd International Conference on Methodology for Complex Societal Problems and 13th WACRA-EUROPE International Conference on Case Method Research and Case Method Application, held in Munich in 1996, are published in volumes 5 and 6 of Research on Cases and Theories. Volume 6 combines theoretical reflections on methodology for complex societal problems and empirical studies focussing on climate change. The empirical studies also address a number of educational and environmental issues. The authors are researchers at European Universities working in a variety of disciplines. Methodology for societal problems can be considered a new topic of scientific interest. That is the primary concern of a new scientific group, the Euro Working Group 21 on Methodology for Complex Societal Problems (Operations Research) and the International Society on Methodology for Complex Societal Problems co-organizer of the Munich event. The interest in this topic has let to the formation of a new international network of scientists, which holds meetings every year at a number of conferences.

Analyzing societal problems in an interdisciplinary way has become a must for our society and a challenge for the human sciences, especially because of the complex character of these problems. It is clear that the problems society is confronted with are difficult to handle and that there is a growing gap between the complexity of these problems and the human capacity to deal with them. In this situation there is a need for better methods and tools, more knowledge and imagination then there seems to be available in our standard domains of knowledge, even in the realms of scientific knowledge. Analyzing societal problems in an interdisciplinary way has become an urgent need for our society and a challenge for the (human) sciences. In this book the challenge is taken seriously from the perspective of a number of disciplines. The book is the result of the First International Conference on Methodology for Analyzing Societal Problems. In the book the theoretical and methodological aspects of analyzing complex societal problems are highlighted, together with the practical impacts. These issues are discussed in fields as ecology, computer simulation, management, social medicine, methodology, and social engineering. In the articles a number of elementary questions are examined about the way complexity is showing up in societal problems and the way the natural and social science can work together to analyze and handle these problems.

This handbook outlines the theoretical development of the Methodology of Societal Complexity and establishes the groundwork for applying the Compram Methodology to complex societal issues. It serves as a valuable resource for scientists, practitioners, politicians, and students in methodology, social sciences, operational research, management, and political science, as well as anyone engaged with intricate societal challenges. These issues, often highlighted in quality newspapers, significantly impact society and involve various phenomena and actors, making them difficult to manage. The structured Compram Methodology offers guidelines for addressing real-life societal problems in a democratic, sustainable, and transparent manner. It includes examples from global safety concerning healthcare, economics, climate change, terrorism, urban challenges, technological projects, and floods. Such complex problems require a multi-disciplinary, multi-actor, and multi-level approach, considering emotional aspects and the entire problem-handling process across micro, meso, and macro levels. By employing methods, models, and tools from the Methodology of Societal Complexity, the Compram Methodology enhances the problem-handling process, improving intervention quality and, consequently, quality of life. Effectively addressing these complex issues can reduce conflicts, save money, and ultimately save lives. Dorien J. DeTombe is a recognized ex