Showing papers by "John S. Edwards published in 1986"

An options-choice methodology for technological projects in developing countries

Abstract: Making decisions about large technological projects is never straightforward, because of their sheer complexity. However, when carried out in an environment in which the major considerations are financial, the task is simplified by the dominance of quantifiable criteria. In developing countries, on the other hand, the importance of such large technological projects to the country's overall development in social and technological, as well as economic, terms requires an evaluation process based on multiple criteria. The resolution of conflicts between these criteria is further complicated by the multiple agencies which are involved in a typical project in a centrally-planned developing country. A structured systems approach to the decision-making process is therefore clearly necessary. This paper sets out a methodology for options choice in the context of a large technological project in a developing country which is undergoing rapid growth and relies on central planning and control.