Young, O. R., E. F. Lambin, F. Alcock, H. Haberl, S. I. Karlsson, W. J. McConnell, T. Myint, C. Pahl-Wostl, C. Polsky, P. S. Ramakrishnan, H. Schroeder, M. Scouvart, and P. H. Verburg. 2006. A portfolio approach to analyzing complex human-environment inte

2.4.3.1 INTEGRATIVE METHODS AND MODELS: Analytic Methods – Portfolios Major problems arise in analyzing causes and consequences in human-environment systems. These include defining what process is to be explained in the system, whether to use proximate or ultimate causes, and how these are to be defined. There are also issues of observations, data, or case studies: how many to use and can these be compared. Because of all these problems and the complexity of such systems, the likelihood of drawing the wrong conclusions is an ever-present problem. Thus unlike much specific disciplinary research, there may be no specific preferred analytic method as in, for example, econometrics. The Reading argues a portfolio of approaches may be more helpful in analyzing causes and consequences in human-environment systems. Techniques include standard statistical analyses, pattern comparisons and meta-analyses of case studies, counterfactuals, narratives, and systems analysis and simulations.

Young et al.,2006-Methods analyze complex SE.pdf — PDF document, 82Kb