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Combining PSMs with hard OR methods: the philosophical and practical challenges

Kotiadis, Kathy, Mingers, John (2006) Combining PSMs with hard OR methods: the philosophical and practical challenges. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 57 (7). pp. 856-867. ISSN 0160-5682. (doi:10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602147) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:3928)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://www.palgrave-journals.com/jors/journal/v57/...

Abstract

Combinations of problem structuring methods with hard OR methodologies are seldom described in the literature. This paper will reflect on the barriers to such combinations that can be seen at the philosophical level-paradigm incommensurability-and cognitive level-type of personality and difficulty of switching paradigm. This paper examines the combination of Soft Systems Methodology and Discrete Event Simulation within an Intermediate Care case study. The paper will argue, by way of the practical application, that these problems are not insurmountable and that the result can be seen as interplay of the soft and hard paradigms. The idea of yin and yang is proposed as a metaphor for this process.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602147
Uncontrolled keywords: PSMs; hard OR; multimethodology; pluralism; paradigms; SSM; DESM/simulation; health care; philosophy of OR
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Department of Analytics, Operations and Systems
Depositing User: John Mingers
Date Deposited: 08 Sep 2008 12:08 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:42 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/3928 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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