On the status and prospects of systems analysis methods in Ukraine (Q1592009)

This publication advertises the need for the ``Institute of Applied Systems Analysis'', which was created in 1997 to treat large-scale complex problems related to society, economics and politics in the Ukraine. The author claims that such research topics were hampered in the Soviet Union ``over many years in view of ideological reasons'' (but it would have been interesting to know the reasons and the means for such a resistance). The topics which are emphasized are: social protection systems, catastrophes (natural ones, whose increased incidence is supposed to be due to the global warming effect, or technological ones, like Chernobyl), energy supply, the efficient use of a currently low emission of carbon dioxide by selling the unused quota in view of the Kyoto protocol, information technology. The treatment is streamlined by, first, low level procedures which would use classical estimation methods as well as fuzzy systems methods for qualitative data processing and, second, high level procedures driven from expert systems and artificial intelligence for decision making. In addition to applications in policy issues, the institute is supposed to contribute to fundamental and applied research as well as to education. Finally, a synergy with administrations and industry is promoted. The integration of a great diversity of innovations following the ``development of the world civilization in the 20th century'' is hoped to influence ``the life of the population in the 21st century''. A final clue concerning the institute's goal: This NATO supported institute ``will contribute to the building of an independent and democratic Ukrainian state''.