Dear Colleagues,

“Two nations divided by a common language!” - Paraphrasing these famous words, the theme of the 4th Annual Conference of the European Decision Sciences Institute (EDSI) highlights the importance of local contexts in a globally connected and, as such, increasingly standardised world. EDSI 2013 aims to analyse how global trends get embedded in local contexts and how the interactions between global and local forces take place. Hence, the Conference theme, Common Disciplines that Separate Us: Local Contexts in Global Networks.

Despite global trends, as scholars, we define our respective professional worlds very differently from one another: we prefer some journals to others, even when we publish papers on the very same topics; we follow different value systems, even when we judge something as assumingly straightforward as quality; and we join international professional organisations of obvious local flavours. The Decision Sciences Institute (DSI)-of which EDSI is its European chapter-embraces the duality of globally determined local contexts: DSI is a globally integrated professional association with an inclusive and cross-disciplinary philosophy.

EDSI 2013 will take place in Hungary in an inspiring environment of over one millennium of history and culture, counting from the year 1000 when St. Stephen, the country's first King of Hungary, was crowned. This very special event offers an extraordinary occasion for leading and budding scholars alike to meet and discuss new directions and trends, and provides a neutral platform for analysing issues of current interest.

On behalf of (E)DSI, I cordially invite you to the Conference - see you in Hungary in the summer of 2013!

Prof. Gyula Vastag
Conference Chair