Behavioral Science—“Look Ma, I'm Simulating”

As organizational and individual behavior theories attempt to account for more variation in their data, it becomes necessary to use more complex models to describe the new theories. It may be especially pertinent to include dynamic, that is, time-based, variables. Hence, the question is often raised by the computer sophisticates: “Why don't the behavioral researchers use the computer more for simulation of an essentially changing probabalistic environment so that they may test complicated models, rather than batch-processing endless amounts of primitive data? In reviewing some of my possible answers to this question, I wonder if there aren't some generalizations one could make regarding relationships between management science and the rest of the research world?