IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/comaot/v18y2012i2d10.1007_s10588-012-9114-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Case-based modeling and the SACS Toolkit: a mathematical outline

Author

Listed:
  • Brian Castellani

    (Kent State University)

  • Rajeev Rajaram

    (Kent State University)

Abstract

Researchers in the social sciences currently employ a variety of mathematical/computational models for studying complex systems. Despite the diversity of these models, the majority can be grouped into one of three types: agent (rule-based) modeling, dynamical (equation-based) modeling and statistical (aggregate-based) modeling. The purpose of the current paper is to offer a fourth type: case-based modeling. To do so, we review the SACS Toolkit: a new method for quantitatively modeling complex social systems, based on a case-based, computational approach to data analysis. The SACS Toolkit is comprised of three main components: a theoretical blueprint of the major components of a complex system (social complexity theory); a set of case-based instructions for modeling complex systems from the ground up (assemblage); and a recommended list of case-friendly computational modeling techniques (case-based toolset). Developed as a variation on Byrne (in Sage Handbook of Case-Based Methods, pp. 260–268, 2009), the SACS Toolkit models a complex system as a set of k-dimensional vectors (cases), which it compares and contrasts, and then condenses and clusters to create a low-dimensional model (map) of a complex system’s structure and dynamics over time/space. The assembled nature of the SACS Toolkit is its primary strength. While grounded in a defined mathematical framework, the SACS Toolkit is methodologically open-ended and therefore adaptable and amenable, allowing researchers to employ and bring together a wide variety of modeling techniques. Researchers can even develop and modify the SACS Toolkit for their own purposes. The other strength of the SACS Toolkit, which makes it a very effective technique for modeling large databases, is its ability to compress data matrices while preserving the most important aspects of a complex system’s structure and dynamics across time/space. To date, while the SACS Toolkit has been used to study several topics, a mathematical outline of its case-based approach to quantitative analysis (along with a case study) has yet to be written–hence the purpose of the current paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Castellani & Rajeev Rajaram, 2012. "Case-based modeling and the SACS Toolkit: a mathematical outline," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 18(2), pages 153-174, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:comaot:v:18:y:2012:i:2:d:10.1007_s10588-012-9114-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10588-012-9114-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10588-012-9114-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10588-012-9114-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cummins, Steven & Curtis, Sarah & Diez-Roux, Ana V. & Macintyre, Sally, 2007. "Understanding and representing 'place' in health research: A relational approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(9), pages 1825-1838, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Davide Secchi & Raffaello Seri, 2017. "Controlling for false negatives in agent-based models: a review of power analysis in organizational research," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 94-121, March.
    2. Rajaram, R. & Castellani, B., 2016. "An entropy based measure for comparing distributions of complexity," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 453(C), pages 35-43.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Diane Coffey & Ashwini Deshpande & Jeffrey Hammer & Dean Spears, 2019. "Local Social Inequality, Economic Inequality, and Disparities in Child Height in India," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(4), pages 1427-1452, August.
    2. Mitchell, Richard & Dujardin, Claire & Popham, Frank & Farfan Portet, Maria-Isabel & Thomas, Isabelle & Lorant, Vincent, 2011. "Using matched areas to explore international differences in population health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 73(8), pages 1113-1122.
    3. Hanibuchi, Tomoya & Murata, Yohei & Ichida, Yukinobu & Hirai, Hiroshi & Kawachi, Ichiro & Kondo, Katsunori, 2012. "Place-specific constructs of social capital and their possible associations to health: A Japanese case study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 75(1), pages 225-232.
    4. Spielman, Seth E. & Yoo, Eun-hye, 2009. "The spatial dimensions of neighborhood effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(6), pages 1098-1105, March.
    5. Vásquez-Vera, Hugo & Palència, Laia & Magna, Ingrid & Mena, Carlos & Neira, Jaime & Borrell, Carme, 2017. "The threat of home eviction and its effects on health through the equity lens: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 199-208.
    6. Plane, Jocelyn & Klodawsky, Fran, 2013. "Neighbourhood amenities and health: Examining the significance of a local park," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-8.
    7. Arnold, Michael & Hsu, Ling & Pipkin, Sharon & McFarland, Willi & Rutherford, George W., 2009. "Race, place and AIDS: The role of socioeconomic context on racial disparities in treatment and survival in San Francisco," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 121-128, July.
    8. Bécares, Laia & Cormack, Donna & Harris, Ricci, 2013. "Ethnic density and area deprivation: Neighbourhood effects on Māori health and racial discrimination in Aotearoa/New Zealand," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 76-82.
    9. Garthwaite, Kayleigh & Bambra, Clare, 2017. "“How the other half live”: Lay perspectives on health inequalities in an age of austerity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 268-275.
    10. Anna-Karin Ivert & Marie Torstensson Levander & Juan Merlo, 2013. "Adolescents' Utilisation of Psychiatric Care, Neighbourhoods and Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Deprivation: A Multilevel Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(11), pages 1-1, November.
    11. Hale, James & Knapp, Corrine & Bardwell, Lisa & Buchenau, Michael & Marshall, Julie & Sancar, Fahriye & Litt, Jill S., 2011. "Connecting food environments and health through the relational nature of aesthetics: Gaining insight through the community gardening experience," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(11), pages 1853-1863, June.
    12. Havlicek, Judy, 2011. "Lives in motion: A review of former foster youth in the context of their experiences in the child welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1090-1100, July.
    13. Milligan, Christine & Roberts, Celia & Mort, Maggie, 2011. "Telecare and older people: Who cares where?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(3), pages 347-354, February.
    14. Michael Carolan, 2021. "Putting food access in its topological place: thinking in terms of relational becomings when mapping space," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(1), pages 243-256, February.
    15. Brusilovskiy, Eugene & Salzer, Mark S., 2012. "A study of environmental influences on the well-being of individuals with psychiatric disabilities in Philadelphia, PA," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(10), pages 1591-1601.
    16. Anna Matheson, 2020. "Health Inequality as a Large-Scale Outcome of Complex Social Systems: Lessons for Action on the Sustainable Development Goals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-11, April.
    17. Roscigno, Cecelia I. & Savage, Teresa A. & Grant, Gerald & Philipsen, Gerry, 2013. "How healthcare provider talk with parents of children following severe traumatic brain injury is perceived in early acute care," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 32-39.
    18. Belon, Ana Paula & Nieuwendyk, Laura M. & Vallianatos, Helen & Nykiforuk, Candace I.J., 2014. "How community environment shapes physical activity: Perceptions revealed through the PhotoVoice method," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 10-21.
    19. Rock, Melanie J. & Degeling, Chris, 2015. "Public health ethics and more-than-human solidarity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 61-67.
    20. Carly Nichols, 2017. "Millets, milk and maggi: contested processes of the nutrition transition in rural India," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 34(4), pages 871-885, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:comaot:v:18:y:2012:i:2:d:10.1007_s10588-012-9114-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.