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Supporting Strategy: Large World Action and Small World Models

Room B1.16, Warwick Business School Scarman Road

Wednesday 30 April, 10am-4pm

The concept of Large and Small Worlds has recently attracted much attention across a wide span of disciplines. It was first introduced by the statistician Leonard Savage by reference to the two proverbs "Look before you leap" and "Cross that bridge when you come to it".

You are in a small world if it is feasible always to look before you leap. You are in a large world if there are some bridges that you cannot cross before you come to them. The Large World - Small World dichotomy is especially germane to OR practice, yet surprisingly the debate has not been taken up in our community.

This workshop brings together leading thinkers in the field to introduce the core ideas and to enable participants to explore their relevance for their own OR.

Speakers:

  • Prof Ken Binmore, University College London: Rational Decisions in Large Worlds
  • Prof Nigel Howard, Sheffield Hallam University: Drama theory as a bridge between Small Worlds and Large
  • General Sir Rupert Smith: Large World 'experiments' in military planning;
  • Prof Jim Bryant, Sheffield Hallam University: OR intervention: the challenge of Large World action.

The event is free, but pre-registration is necessary - please contact orissec@wbs.ac.uk

See http://www.wbs.ac.uk/events/2008/04/30/Supporting/Strategy/Large for more details.