PROBLEM (Soft)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2637 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Human sciences |
Generally a real world problem that cannot merely be tackled in terms of seeking convenient means to reach a simple determined goa l.
In soft problems - characteristic of the real world issues - the stakeholders are in most cases numerous and of different classes. As such they frequently have different outlooks and goals , rooted in different worldviews and intentions. This makes the problem very difficult to understand for anyone (J. WARFIELD's “ Underconceptualization ”), to modelize and to manage. This led P. CHECKLAND (1981) to his Soft System Methodology and, more recently R. RODRIGUEZ ULLOA (1994) to his Soft Systems Dynamics Methodology , which combines FORRESTER's Systems Dynamics (1961, 1969, 1971) with CHEKCLAND's approach, adding moreover a cultural angle, very significant in intercultural interventions and in culturally heterogeneous human groups .