Beware the Pitfalls. A short guide to Avoiding Common Errors in Systems Analysis

Majone, G. & Quade, E.S. (1980). Beware the Pitfalls. A short guide to Avoiding Common Errors in Systems Analysis. IIASA Executive Report. IIASA, Laxenburg, Austria: ER-80-002

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Abstract

The interest in systems analysis, which is now worldwide, is not hard to understand. Analyzing systems of various kinds has helped to solve some important social, economic, and environmental problems, and it has thrown light on others that must eventually be solved. As an aid to establishing policy, systems analysis has been particularly useful where matters are complex, where objectives conflict, and where future planning is difficult.

Analysts tend to evaluate their studies on technical adequacy; decision makers stress practical results. The editors of "Pitfalls of Analysis" saw both types of standards as important and related. They organized their material to present first some common pitfalls of technical adequacy and then some common pitfalls of effectiveness.

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