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1 Introduction 11

1.3.4 Applications Part

The last part looks at eight areas where the techniques that have been described are
being applied. We chose areas where there has been some history of application and
hence some experience of different approaches. Areas of application that are only
just emerging are not covered here.
Chapter 22 reviews applications to ecological management. This is one of the
oldest and most productive areas where simulation approaches have been applied.
Since it is inevitable that the interaction of society and the environment is complex,
analytic approaches are usually too simplistic and approaches that are better suited
are needed.
Chapter 23 explores how a simulation-based understanding of ICT systems
can enable new kinds of distributed systems to be designed and managed, while
Chap. 24 looks at how simulation can help us understand animal interaction.
Chapter 25 describes agent-based simulations as a useful tool to come to a
complex understanding of how markets actually work (in contrast to their economic
idealisations). Chapter 26 considers systems where people and/or goods are being
moved within space or networks including logistics and supply chains.
The next two chapters look at understanding human societies. Chapter 27 focuses
on a descriptive modelling approach to structures of power and authority, with
particular reference to Afghanistan, whereas Chap. 28 reviews the different ways in
which simulations have been used to understand human societies, briefly describing
examples of each.
The final chapter, Chap. 29, looks at some of the pitfalls that can come about
when formal models (especially the complex simulation models considered here)
can be misused or misunderstood when applied in the policy arena.

1.4 Differences in the Second Edition

This edition of the handbook has a number of new chapters, namely, those on
different modelling purposes (Chap. 4), applying computer science to simulation
development (Chap. 5), ontological structure (Chap. 8), how many runs one should
do (Chap. 11) and the final chapter on pitfalls that can occur when such models are
used to inform policy-making or policy delivery (Chap. 29). Furthermore, some
of the chapters have been significantly revised, including those on verification
and validation (Chap. 9); utility, games and haggling (Chap. 16); social constraint
(Chap. 17); reputation (Chap. 17); animal social behaviour (Chap. 24); and human
societies (Chap. 28).