'''System dynamicsDynamics''' is one approach to modeling the dynamics of complex systems such as [[Population dynamics|population]], [[ecology|ecological]] and [[Economics|economic]] [[system]]s, which usually interact strongly with each other. Systems Dynamics was founded in the early [[1960s]] by [[Jay W. Forrester]] of the [[MIT Sloan School of Management]] with the establishment of the [[MIT System Dynamics Group]]. At that time, he began applying what he had learned about systems during his work in [[electrical engineering]] to everyday kinds of systems. What makes using System Dynamics different from other approaches to studying [[complex system]]s is the use of [[feedback]] loops. [[Stock and flow|Stocks and flows]] are the basic building blocks of a System Dynamics model. They help describe how a system is connected by feedback loops which create the [[nonlinearity]] found so frequently in modern day problems. Computer software is used to [[computer simulation|simulate]] a system dynamics [[model (abstract)|model]] of the situation being studied. Running "what if" simulations to test certain policies on such a model can greatly aid in understanding how the system changes over time. Actual matters concerning System Dynamics are discussed in the [[Economics Chapter of the System Dynamics Society]].
