Journal on Policy & Complex Systems Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2017 | Page 117

A systematic literature review
administrators , this bridge needs to be given priority , because , as we have seen , there is a very strong consensus that there are many benefits in such application . Such adversity , however , is not unique to complex systems . Many authors have already researched and provided recommendations on how to communicate research to policy makers and , fortunately , such solutions are feasible to meet the needs of complex systems science . These recommendations often include proposals to enhance the network and develop relationships with policy makers ; to involve policy makers in the research ; to hold meetings , conferences and workshops with policy makers ; and to carry out systematic reviews aimed at policy practice . The proposals aforementioned arose from authors in the areas of healthcare ( Lavis et al ., 2010 ; Feldman , Nadash , & Gursen , 2001 ), natural resources management ( Gibbons et al ., 2008 ), drug abuse ( Gregrich , 2003 ) and economics ( Pannel , 2004 ).
In our analysis of the applied studies , we found a major concern in the areas of healthcare and even more to discuss the policy process itself . Another manner of " building the bridge " between researchers and policymakers is to help solving realworld problems and thus arouse in them more interest in complex systems . A policymaker might not be interested in how to formulate a policy ( the process ), but rather on how to solve the problem he needs to solve . In this sense , more applied studies on the areas of education , employment and urban issues are needed . Also , from the applied studies , we can observe that ABM is certainly the preferred tool used by researchers . Public policies are an area where decentralization is important , and this may lead to the success of ABM .
The excitement around complexity theory also brings concerns . Complex systems are a relatively new area in science . Despite the increasing number of researchers in many areas , such as public policies , economics and physics , complex system researchers , who may be biased towards their own field of research , called “ Myside Bias ”; conduct the applied systems ( Stanovich , West , & Toplak , 2013 ; Baron , 1995 ). Other types of bias that can be directly related to complex systems are the " Optimism Bias " ( Weinstein , 1980 ), the " pro-innovation bias " ( Rogers , Shoemaker , 1971 ), " system justification " ( Jost & Banaji , 2004 ) and " self-serving bias " ( Miller , Ross , 1975 ), since most of the studies included in this review were carried out by complex system researchers , and not policymakers , that could have a more critical view of this approach .
At the outcome level , the complex systems approach for public policies is in its early stages and there is no debate between conventional and complex systems . Unlike medicine and related sciences , the number of SLRs in social sciences is low , as well as the number of randomized controlled trials ( Parris & Peachey , 2012 ), what led us to include a high number of descriptive studies combined with the applied ones .
There are many opportunities for future studies . For instance , we did not find studies to measure the level of complexity of public policies ' environment , which could be done through the quantity of information of a given situation or by the entropy increase of a system . Also , as already mentioned , there are few real-world applications of complex systems to public policies . In this manner , good models and simulations are as important as the ability to pass on the information until it reaches policymakers , who in fact have the power to implement them and make them useful .
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