The Use of Problem Structuring Methods in the Non-Profit Sector: An Analysis of Applications

Problem structuring methods (PSMs) are a group of participatory modelling approaches that form a distinct domain within the decision-support discipline of operational research (OR). Problem structuring methods emerged as a response to the inability of traditional operational research to respond to problems of high complexity, where the existence of different worldviews, multiple values and conflicting goals tends to be the norm. The aim of this chapter is to examine the current level of use of problem structuring methods and to report the results of a review of the relevant literature on their application in the non-profit sector over the last twenty years. The findings suggest a growing interest in problem structuring methods in the non-profit sector and a healthy level of applications in different fields.