INSISOC

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The aim of the research group "Social Systems Engineering Centre" (InSiSoc) is, first, to promote research and modeling the behavior of complex social systems, from the conduct of agents of the system and, explore and develop the methodologies in the field of systems thinking, and build tools to facilitate their application to the study of complex problems.

• I. Agent-based modeling (ABM)
• II. Systems thinking (CENDEPES)

These two lines of work, covering some areas of complementary interventions have led to intense activity within the group of researchers who are part of the GIR is proposed. Consider then the most important aspects of each.

This approach reflects the experiences and contributions of multi-agent systems, the artificial intelligence, experimental economics, the dynamics of systems and, more generally, the generative approach to modeling complex social systems. It also integrates the contributions of heuristic methods and production engineering to the study of social systems and the possible translation of research findings in these social systems to improve the operation of the "physical systems: production, quality , environment, etc. ..

The current application areas include:

• Design of market institutions.
• Study of negotiation processes.
• Dynamics and industrial policy.
• Modeling financial markets.
• Experimental economics.
• Integration of systems thinking in the agent-based modeling.
• Learning and organizational change.
• Evolutionary models.
• Methodologies relevant to the agent-based modeling: genetic algorithms, neural networks, etc ...
• Interrelation social systems-physical systems.

Since its founding, has developed much of its work through regional, national and international. Of note is the project entitled “ Investigación Socioeconómica desde la Inteligencia Artificial. Contribuciones en memoria de H. Simon: Red ISIA” ("Socio-Economic Research from the Artificial Intelligence. Contributions in memory of H. Simon: Red ISIA"), for Ministry of Science and Technology of Spain or “ Freshwater Integrated Resource Management with Agents (FIRMA)” of V Program of the European Union.

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The main lines of research within the area of systems thinking are:

• Application of System Dynamics and Cybernetics Organizational Study of Complex Systems (RITTS, processes of diffusion of new disciplines, audiovisual Spanish sector (TV), regional development).
• Development of software tools to facilitate the systematic application of different methodologies ( VSMod^®, Team Syntegrity , System Dynamics, VSMM, etc.).
• Development of software applications for capturing and representation of knowledge (Col-KCap) and online Delphi studies (Interdelphi).
• Development of software for information exchange and communication through the Internet ( Collaborative Networks, Iberfora, etc.)..
• Creation of Internet-based tools for information dissemination (Navegador Colón) or for the creation of university networks in specific fields (universities of Brazil, Portugal and Spain from the Tordesillas Group ) to promote collaboration in the field of science and technology ( Tordesillas Group).

Also this group has been particularly active in using some of the tools described above for networking and research collaboration in academia (national and international). As an example of some of the established networks of special relevance to mention the Red Iberfora ( www.iberfora2000.org), the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Spanish Agency of International Collaboration on the provision of postgraduate studies in Spain ( www.buscadorcolon.org), the network of Organizational Cybernetics ( www.platformforchange.org) or the Network of systems thinking ( www.redtemps.net)

It should also highlight the extensive involvement in research projects both domestic and international, such as REDTEMS (Systemic Thinking Network) from the MCyT or IBERFORO (A model system for the exchange of information and decision making) from the CICYT, or "Management Systems and Cybernetics (Msc)" and "Computer Based Modeling, Simulation and Graphic Representation Of Technology Innovation Networks ", both from the European Commission.

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