Abstract
It is often argued that the O.R. scientist should have something to contribute toward the analysis not only of well-defined technical problems, but also of those where complex, “messy” social issues predominate.1,2 Soccer hooliganism in the U.K. is one well-known example of this type of problem: it would be disappointing if the sort of systematic analysis O.R. claims to be able to provide could not throw at least some light on it. A model is given here allowing some conclusions to be derived from clearly-specified hypotheses, using the recently developed hyper-game approach.3,4 This involves attempting to represent the “perceptual games” that the different parties may see themselves to be playing, and then bringing these together. Predictions may then be made by examining the likely results of actions taken by each party from its own standpoint and then interpreted by the others in the context of their own—perhaps radically different—games. This last factor gives this case a particular sort of complexity. Previous hypergame studies have dealt with decisions taken in the context of warfare5 or business competition.6,7 With some exceptions, the parties in such cases tend to inhabit perceptual worlds that are roughly similar, and so agree to some extent as to what the conflict is about. The civil administrator, policeman, magistrate or respectable reporter (or law-abiding O.R. scientist) has very little in common with the football hooligan, and the natural temptation is simply to dismiss such behaviour as “mindless violence” which defies rational explanation.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
C. W. Churchman (1968) Wicked problems: Guest Editorial. Mgmt Sci. 14, B141–B142.
S. Eilon (1977) Technician or adviser?: Editorial. Omega 5, 1–6.
P. G. Bennett (1977) Toward a theory of hypergames. Omega 5, 749–751.
P. G. Bennett (1980) Hypergames: the development of an approach to modelling conflicts. O.R. Dept, University of Sussex (submitted to Futures).
P. G. Bennett and M. R. Dando (1979) Complex strategic analysis: a hyper-game study of the fall of France. J. Opl Res. Soc. 30, 23–32.
M. O. Giesen and P. G. Bennett (1970) Aristotle’s fallacy: a hypergame in the oil shipping business. Omega 7, 309–320.
P. G. Bennett (1979) Bidders and dispenser: manipulative hypergames in a multinational context. Eur. J. Ops Res. in press.
M. R. Dando and R. G. Sharp (1978) Soccer hooliganism and the practice of O.R. Presented to 1978 Annual O.R. Conference, York University, U.K.
R. G. Sharp (1979) An enquiry into the role of O.R. science in the study of decision-making in conflicts. Ph.D. thesis, O.R. Dept, University of Sussex.
P. Marsh, E. Rosser and R. Harré (1978) Rules of Disorder. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.
R. Ingham et al. (1978) Football Hooliganism: the Wider Context. Inter-action Inprint, London.
N. Howard and P. G. Bennett (1979) Recent development in the theory of hypergames. In preparation.
Joint Sports Council (SSRC Report 1978) Public Disorder and Sporting Events. Sports Council, London.
F. McElthone (1977) Report (of a Working Group Appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland) on Football Crowd Behaviour: (Appendix by Strathclyde Police Statistical Branch). HMSO, London.
P. Marsh (1978) Life and careers on the soccer terraces. In Football Hooliganism: the Wider Context (R. Ingham, Ed.). Inter-action Inprint, London.
N. Howard (1974) Examples of a Dynamic Theory of Games. Univ. of Ottowa, Canada.
K. J. Radford (1977) Complex Decision Problems. Reston, Reston, Canada.
J. R. Platt (1964) Strong inference. Science N.Y. 146, 347–357.
K. E. Boulding (1968) The Learning and reality—testing process in the international system. In Image and Reality in World Politics (J. C. Farrell and A. P. Smith, Eds). Columbia University Press.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2015 Operational Research Society
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bennett, P.G., Dando, M.R., Sharp, R.G. (2015). Using Hypergames to Model Difficult Social Issues: An Approach to the Case of Soccer Hooliganism. In: Wright, M. (eds) Operational Research Applied to Sports. OR Essentials. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137534675_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137534675_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-56807-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53467-5
eBook Packages: Palgrave Business & Management CollectionBusiness and Management (R0)