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1. 1. Motivation This book is based on the view-tx)int that both
public and private decision making, in practice, can often be
ilrproved upon by means of fonnal (nonnative) decision nodels and
methods. To sane extent, the validity of this statement can be
measured by the irrpressive number of su=esses of disciplines as
operations research and management science. Hcwever, as witnessed
by the many discussions in the professional journals in these
fields, many rrodels and methods do not completely meet the
requirements of decision making in prac- tice. Of all possible
origins of these clear shortcomings, we main-* ly focus on only
one: the fact that nost of these nodels and methods are unsuitable
for decision situations in which multiple and possi- bly
conflicting objectives playa role, because they are concentra- ted
on the (optimal) fulfilment of only one objective. The need to
account for multiple goals was observed relatively early. Hoffman
[1955], while describing 'what seem to be the prin- cipal areas (in
linear prograrrrning) where new ideas and new methods are needed'
gives an exanple with conflicting goals. In this pro- blem, the
assignrrent of relative weights is a great problem for the planning
staff and is 'probably not the province of the mathemati- cian
engaged in solving this problem'. These remarks were true pre-
cursors of later develor:nents. Nevertheless, the need for methods
dealing with multiple goals was not widely recognized until much
later.
1. 1. Motivation This book is based on the view-tx)int that both
public and private decision making, in practice, can often be
ilrproved upon by means of fonnal (nonnative) decision nodels and
methods. To sane extent, the validity of this statement can be
measured by the irrpressive number of su=esses of disciplines as
operations research and management science. Hcwever, as witnessed
by the many discussions in the professional journals in these
fields, many rrodels and methods do not completely meet the
requirements of decision making in prac- tice. Of all possible
origins of these clear shortcomings, we main-* ly focus on only
one: the fact that nost of these nodels and methods are unsuitable
for decision situations in which multiple and possi- bly
conflicting objectives playa role, because they are concentra- ted
on the (optimal) fulfilment of only one objective. The need to
account for multiple goals was observed relatively early. Hoffman
[1955], while describing 'what seem to be the prin- cipal areas (in
linear prograrrrning) where new ideas and new methods are needed'
gives an exanple with conflicting goals. In this pro- blem, the
assignrrent of relative weights is a great problem for the planning
staff and is 'probably not the province of the mathemati- cian
engaged in solving this problem'. These remarks were true pre-
cursors of later develor:nents. Nevertheless, the need for methods
dealing with multiple goals was not widely recognized until much
later.
Drawing on the expertise of Latin American, North American and
European scholars, this volume offers cutting-edge theoretical
explorations of trends in the region, as well as in-depth case
studies of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela. Essays in the
volume focus on changes to class formation in Latin America and
offer new insights into the state-form, exploring the complex
relationship between state and market in contexts of late
capitalist development, particularly in countries endowed with
incredible natural resource wealth.
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