Introduction: Complexity as a Challenge

Abstract

This chapter, “Complexity as a challenge”, primarily aims at presenting the purpose of systemic planning (SP) and the challenge of strategic decision making in a world that presents itself as complex. Initially systemic planning is set out as the holistic handling of complex planning seeking to include both hard and soft methodology. Next the contents of all the chapters are presented. The chapter ends with taking a first look at complexity by treating what is termed detail, dynamic and preference complexity, which leads to a discussion of different problem types. This provides the background for encircling the possibilities and limitations of systemic planning as a foresight problem handling approach.