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Simulation in Business
Source: Datamation Publication date: June, 1967
This early Datamation article is a succinct summary of Schussel’s doctoral dissertation at Harvard Business School. That dissertation was researched and submitted in 1964. That was a relatively early period in the use of computers for business purposes and especially in the new field of simulation of human behavior through a rules based algorithm. Schussel’s researched showed the possibility of using the scientific approach of simulation in a business environment. Whereas the usefulness of simulation to help solve scientific and engineering problems had been readily accepted for some time, it was a new concept to the business or operational community. One of the primary reasons that detailed simulation of the business environment had become practical was because the ability to manipulate and process large amounts of data rapidly had grown fantastically with each new generation of computers. By 1967 simulation had grown up to the point where universities had begun teaching courses in it. This substantial growth and interest resulted in an increase in relevant theory and literature. Also a new sub field of simulation, called behavioral theory had been developed and expounded by researchers at various universities, notably Carnegie Tech.
