From the playpen to the bombsite: The changing nature of management science

The power of portable computing is growing. This power is changing the nature of the practice of management science. It is becoming increasingly possible for the management scientist to undertake model building and analysis ‘on-the-hoof’. Working in this way with individuals and client groups is likely to facilitate more effective and faster problem construction and interactive modelling. As a result it is likely that management scientists will be able to pay more attention to wisdom, to transparent analysis and to the practicality of implementation. This paper discusses these three aspects of the changing nature of management science through examples drawn from the use of portable computers for working with groups using cognitive mapping and simulation modelling.