Applying OR Theory and Techniques to Social Systems Analysis

The paper describes applications of Operations Research (OR) theory and techniques used to solve various types of social problems occurring in our social system. Social systems analysis has for quite some time been the main analytical and scientific approach used to investigate systems and to solve various problems related to modern social systems, including industry, business, the military, public administration, politics, and society in general. We will present here three major roles that operations research (OR) and social systems analysis (SSA) technique have played both practically and theoretically in the solution of social systems problems since it was developed almost 60 years ago. Firstly, we explain briefly OR, SSA, and public policy (PP) regarding what they are, how OR can be contributing to SSA and PP, and how traditional academic disciplines are related each other with the SSA. Secondly, we introduce several examples of the quantitative data analysis, which we have investigated in our school (National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies) to solve various types of social problems including population, traffic and accident, higher education policy, energy policy, and agriculture policy data analyses. Thirdly, we give mathematical modeling analysis with its application to the optimal location model analysis for integrating promotion branch offices in the local government. Fourthly, as an important role of OR as a theory building analysis technique, we explain two problems of apportionment problem and shortest path counting problem. Finally, in the summary section future perspectives of OR are given.