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Abstract
Rural development deals with improving the well-being of rural people. Decision makers, armed with limited information, are often called on to take actions that affect local wellbeing. It is difficult, if not impossible, for them to perceive the full implications of their actions. Yet, for orderly development to take place, decision makers must plan their actions based on expected results.
The systems analysis approach to rural-development decision making presented in this paper can be used by extension professionals to help decision makers understand both the direct and indirect effects of alternative types of development strategies. The model discussed here can be used in an extension setting as a learning game to make decision makers aware of general effects of various types of development strategies. Or it can be used to assist decision makers by simulating the results of alternative strategies of general development for their area. The model is most useful in working with rural development decision makers at the multicounty district or state levels.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
James Nelson
Assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University. Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station Professional Paper P-284. The author wishes to thank Gerald Doeksen and Ted Nelson for their helpful comments.