Decision analytics may be viewed as the combined use of predictive modeling techniques (e.g., forecasting and machine learning) and prescriptive decision frameworks (e.g., optimization and simulation) to create value in systems. Recent years have seen an explosion in decision analytics applications, driven by advances in machine learning methods and computational optimization and by massive increases in the data to which these techniques may be applied. Decision analytics has long been used in the domains of economic and financial systems, with credit scoring being an example of an early success, and the clear trend is to the development of ever more sophisticated methods and applications.This issue of Environment System & Decisions is devoted to decision analytics in financial and economic systems and environments. The papers in the issue each bear an influence from theoretical developments and financial and economic applications of statistical methods, machine learning, and decision and risk modeling techniques. Before introducing the papers, we review some of the influential literature in this regard.