Book Reviews

problem adds a new dimension to the literature on

network optimization. In short, this volume of
Annals of Operations Research contains a collection of well-written papers each of which contributes to the literature of network optimization and
applications to the field.

P.S. P U L A T
School of Industrial Engineers
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019
USA

J. ROSENHEAD (ed.)
Rational Analysis for a Problematic World
Wiley, Chichester, 1989, xiv + 370 pages, 12.95
This is a book of considerable significance for
OR and the systems movement. This book gives
an introduction to the best known 'soft' methods
for structuring decisions and problems. It is widely
recognized that such methods constitute a significant new direction for OR. Distinctive features of
these novel approaches include an aim of partial
structuring of previously unstructured situations
and a process involving participation as a key
element. All OR workers concerned with the future of our discipline ought to read this book.
The six approaches for structuring problems
and decisions presented in this book are:
* SODA (Strategic Options Development and
Analysis).
* SSM (Soft Systems Methodology).
* Strategic Choice.
* Robustness Analysis.
* Metagame Analysis.
* Hypergame Analysis.
Each of six methodologies is presented in a linked
pair of chapters. In each case the authors include
the main architect of the approach. Well-known
members of the British OR community have contributed to this book: Eden, Simpson, Checkland,
Friend, Hickling, Rosenhead, Howard, Bennett,
Cropper, and Huxham. For each approach, the
first chapter lays out the justification for the
method, develops the conceptual framework which
is employed, and depicts the sequence of activities
by which the method is applied. The second

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chapter of each pair illustrates the application of

the method by means of a practical case study.
Rosenhead has written both the introduction
and the final chapters. The first chapter presents
old and new paradigms in the short history of OR.
Finally, the last chapter highlights the features
which the methodologies have in common, and
more general issues about the significance of these
developments for the future of OR.
All the chapters of this book are well-written.
The methods are introduced in a very exciting
form. All the chapters provide relevant references
for further studies. This book is focusing primarily
on alternative methodologies to the classical
('hard') OR approach disregarding another important aspect of research work, that is praxis. Let
us hope that in the near future the British OR
community will also provide us with a book focusing on alternative OR praxis.
I will recommend this book for both graduate
and undergraduate students in a range of disciplines dealing with problem solving. I am myself
considering this book for a new course on public
planning. For many OR practitioners, it offers the
first stage of getting acquainted with new areas of
OR. There is no need for any particular level of
mathematical preparation to read this book, this is
not to say that the material in the book is trivial.

R. V. I7. VIDAL
IMSOR Bygring 321
Technical University of Denmark
2800 Lyngby
Denmark

R. DAVIES and R. O'KEEFE

Simulation Modelling with Pascal
Prentice-Hall, London, 1989, xvi + 302 pages
The title of this book tells you almost everything that you need to know about it - bar one
aspect. Its subject matter is not really the whole of
computer simulation, but is mainly restricted to
an exposition of discrete event methods. As with a
couple of books with which I am not wholly
unconnected [1,2], it focuses on the computer
modelling of systems rather than presenting the
common academic fallacy that understanding