Abstract
General morphological analysis (GMA) is a method for structuring and investigating the total set of relationships contained in multidimensional, usually non-quantifiable, problem complexes. Pioneered by Fritz Zwicky at the California Institute of Technology in the 1930s and 1940s, it relies on a constructed parameter space, linked by way of logical relationships, rather than on causal relationships and a hierarchal structure. During the past 10 years, GMA has been computerized and extended for structuring and analysing complex policy spaces, developing futures scenarios and modelling strategy alternatives. This article gives a historical and theoretical background to GMA as a problem structuring method, compares it with a number of other ‘soft-OR’ methods, and presents a recent application in structuring a complex policy issue. The issue involves the development of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system in Sweden.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Ackoff R (1974). Redesigning the Future. Wiley: New York.
Akao Y (ed) (1990). Quality Function Deployment: Integrating Customer Requirements into Product Design. Productivity Press: Cambridge, MA.
Ayres RU (1969). Technological Forecasting and Long-range Planning. McGraw-Hill: New York.
Bailey K (1994). Typologies and Taxonomies—An Introduction to Classification Techniques. Sage University Papers, Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, Baltimore.
Bateson W (1896). Materials for the Study of Variation. Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Checkland PB (1989). Soft systems methodology. In: Rosenhead J (ed). Rational Analysis for a Problematic World: Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp 71–100.
Cohen L (1995). Quality Function Deployment: How to Make QFD Work for You. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company: Massachusetts, USA.
Coyle R (2004). Practical Strategy: Structured Tools and Techniques. Pearson Education: London.
Coyle R, Crawshay R and Sutton L (1994). Futures assessments by field anomaly relaxation. Futures 26: 25–43.
Dilthey W (1989 [1883]). Introduction to the Human Sciences. Princeton University Press: Princeton.
Doty D and Glick W (1994). Typologies as a unique form of theory building. Acad Manage Rev 19: 230–251.
Eden C (1989). Using Cognitive mapping for strategic options development and analysis (SODA). In: Rosenhead J (ed). Rational Analysis for a Problematic World: Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp. 21–42.
Friend J (1989). The strategic choice approach. In: Rosenhead J (ed). Rational Analysis for a Problematic World: Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, pp 71–100.
Hanisch C (2000). Is extended producer responsibility effective? Environ Sci Technol 34: 170A–175A.
McGhee GR (1999). Theoretical Morphology: The Concept and its Applications. Columbia University Press: New York.
Müller-Merbach H (1975). The use of morphological techniques for OR-approaches to problems. In: Haley KB (ed) (1976). Operational Research'75. North Holland Publishing Company: Amsterdam.
Norris KW (1963). The morphological approach to engineering design. In: Jones JC and Thornley DG (eds). Conference on Design Methods. Pergamon Press, Inc, Elmsford, pp 115–140.
Rhyne R (1971). Projecting Whole-Body Future Patterns—The Field Anomaly Relaxation (FAR) Method. Educational Policy Research Center of Stanford Research Institute: Menlo Park, California.
Rhyne R (1981). Whole-pattern futures projection, using field anomaly relaxation. Technol Forecast Soc 19: 331–360.
Rhyne R (1995a). Evaluating Alternative Indonesian Sea-Sovereignty Systems. Informs (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences): Hanover.
Rhyne R (1995b). Field anomaly relaxation—the arts of usage. Futures 27: 657–674.
Ritchey T (1991). Analysis and synthesis—on scientific method based on a study by Bernhard Riemann. Syst Res 8(4): 21–41. (Revised 1996) [Online]. Available at www.swemorph.com/pdf/anaeng-r.pdf.
Ritchey T (2003). MA/Casper. Advanced Computer Support for Morphological Analysis: A Short Description. [Online]. Available at www.swemorph.com/pdf/macasper1.pdf.
Ritchey T and Stenström M (2004). Scenarios and Strategies for Extended Producer Responsibility: Using Morphological Analysis to Evaluate EPR System Strategies in Sweden. (English Summary of a Swedish Government Report.) [Online]. Available at www.swemorph.com/downloads.html.
Rittel H and Webber M (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sci 4: 155–169.
Rosenhead J (ed) (1989). Rational Analysis for a Problematic World: Problem Structuring Methods for Complexity, Uncertainty and Conflict. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester.
Rosenhead J (1996). What's the problem? An introduction to problem structuring methods. Interfaces 26(6): 117–131.
Taylor T (1967). Preliminary survey on non-national nuclear threats. Stanford Research Institute Technical Note SSC-TN-5205-83, 17 September 1967.
Thompson DW (1917). On Growth and Form. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
Weber M (1949). The Methodology of the Social Sciences (translated and edited by Shils EA and Finch HA). The Free Press: New York.
Zwicky F (1947). Morphology and nomenclature of jet engines. Aeronaut Eng Rev 6(6): 49–50.
Zwicky F (1948a). Morphological astronomy. Observatory 68(845): 121–143.
Zwicky F (1948b). The morphological method of analysis and construction. In: Courant. Anniversary Volume. Intersciences Publishers, New York, pp 461–470.
Zwicky F (1969). Discovery, Invention, Research—Through the Morphological Approach. The Macmillan Company: Toronto.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ritchey, T. Problem structuring using computer-aided morphological analysis. J Oper Res Soc 57, 792–801 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602177
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jors.2602177