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What Is a Validation Methodology? Analyzing and Synthesizing Two Meanings

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Systemic Management for Intelligent Organizations

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Abstract

Well-validated models can improve the management of intelligent organizations (Schwaninger 2009; Kybernetes, 39: 1419–1428, 2010). In the domain of system dynamics and computational modeling, the assurance of model validity is a prominent challenge. A number of contributions concerning validation tests and their epistemological foundations have been developed. Considering the existing literature, however, little has been said about a validation methodology for system-dynamics models. This chapter differentiates two meanings of such methodology. The first meaning denotes a body of methods. This understanding has been adopted almost exclusively in the field of system dynamics. The second meaning sets forth a comprehensive understanding of the elicitation, description, reflection, and evaluation of issues related to validation, which is currently lacking. This chapter’s contribution is to synthesize the two meanings in a single conceptual model. That model is used to derive directions for future research as well as actions required to support systemic management for intelligent organizations. The chapter aims at focusing the attention of researchers on validation and at inaugurating a beneficial discussion.

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Acknowledgements

I thank both my co-editor Rene Zeier and an anonymous reviewer for thorough criticisms of an earlier draft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Morgartenstraße 2c, 3014, Bern, Switzerland

    Stefan N. Grösser

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  1. Stefan N. Grösser
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Correspondence to Stefan N. Grösser .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Morgartenstraße 2c, Bern, 3000, Switzerland

    Stefan N. Grösser

  2. and Arts, School of Business, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences, Rösslimatte 48, Lucerne, 6002, Switzerland

    René Zeier

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Grösser, S.N. (2012). What Is a Validation Methodology? Analyzing and Synthesizing Two Meanings. In: Grösser, S., Zeier, R. (eds) Systemic Management for Intelligent Organizations. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29244-6_3

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