Editorial

Abstract.

Almost twenty-five years ago, a small group of Italian mathematicians founded the Association for Mathematics Applied to Economic and Social Sciences (AMASES) to promote awareness of mathematics as applied to economics, finance, insurance, management and social sciences. In 1978, AMASES initiated a new journal entitled Rivista di Matematica per le Scienze Economiche e Sociali, which rapidly became the forum for Italian research in mathematics applied to these fields.

After more than twenty years, AMASES' membership has grown to almost three hundred people and the “founding fathers” are surrounded by many young active mathematicians. The time seems ripe to set new goals and to try to establish a forum for European research in mathematics and computational techniques as applied to understanding, structuring and analyzing decisions in economics, finance and management.

Decisions in Economics and Finance, nicknamed DEF, is an attempt by AMASES to provide this forum. DEF replaces the former Rivista, from which it retains numeration and continuity of intentions. Among the changes called for by its new scope, DEF makes English its official language and welcomes the technical support of an international publisher.

On behalf of DEF, which is yet too young to speak up for itself, let me offer my heartfelt thanks to the scholars and friends whose past work has made DEF possible and whose future work will make it worthwhile.