Research theme Multimethodology in Decision Making and Problem Solving

Highlights Multimethodology may be essential to deal with complex situations in Decision Making and Problem Solving. Multimethodology employs and combines different methodologies/methods, in a context of hard & soft paradigms. Operational Research quantitative (hard) methods and problem structuring (soft) methods are involved in the study. A special emphasis will be placed on intuition, subjectivity and emotions. The research should explore theoretical issues, be practical oriented and benefit from real situations.

Keywords Multimethodology, Hard & Soft Paradigms, OR practice, Intuition, Emotions

References Ferreira, J. (2013). Multimethodology in Metaheuristics. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 64(September), 873–883. http://doi.org/10.1057/jors.2012.88 Kotiadis, K., & Mingers, J. (2006). Combining PSMs with hard OR methods: the philosophical and practical challenges. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 57(7), 856–867. http://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602147 Ormerod, R. (2014). Critical rationalism in practice: Strategies to manage subjectivity in or investigations. European Journal of Operational Research, 235(3), 784–797. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2013.12.018 Rosenhead, J., & Mingers, J. (2001). Rational analysis for a problematic world revisited : problem structuring methods for complexity, uncertainty and conflict. Wiley. Wenstøp, F. (2005). Mindsets, Rationality and Emotion in Multi-criteria Decision Analysis. J. Multi-Crit. Decis. Anal., 13, 161–172. http://doi.org/10.1002/mcda.384

Supervisor José Soeiro Ferreira (DEGI-FEUP)