System Dynamics is one approach to modeling the dynamics of complex systems such as population, ecological and economic systems, 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 systems is the use of feedback loops. 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 simulate a system dynamics 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.
See also
External links
- Simudyne is in the business of building and deploying computer-based enterprise simulations for corporations - that represent their internal and external worlds - thereby allowing them to make and evaluate decisions in a virtual environment before executing.
- The System Dynamics Society is an international, nonprofit organization devoted to encouraging the development and use of systems thinking and system dynamics around the world.
- MIT System Dynamics Group
- New England Complex Systems Institute
- Pegasus Communications: Annual systems thinking conference plus print and electronic resources
- Simulation Science Blog
- Sports Business Simulations A corporation that develops online simulations of sports organizations for use in the classroom and as sports fantasy, with system dynamics as the foundation and using a programming language developed by Forio Business Simulations.
- An Annotated Survey of the Essential System Dynamics Literature - 1992
- The University of Bergen System Dynamics Group focuses on its application to sustainable development
- The System Dynamics blog
- The Creative Learning Exchange was founded to serve as a networking hub for K-12 educators interested in using system dynamics in schools.
- Department of Social Science and Policy Studies - Worcester Polytechnic Institute offers Undergraduate and Graduate programs in System Dynamics
Software
- AnyLogic (Supports system dynamics, agent based and discrete event modeling)
- Simile (System Dynamics software with object-based concepts)
- Vensim (free for educational and personal use)
- MapSys (Free system thinking software)
- Consideo (Free system dynamics software)
- Powersim (System dynamics software)
- Forio (Web based system dynamics software)
- Stella and iThink (System dynamics software)
- NetLogo (Multi agent simulation with an easy to use interface. This software is being used by children in schools, and can also simulate very complex systems.)
- VisualBots - Freeware multi-agent simulator in Microsoft Excel - Visual Basic syntax
- MacA&D - Macintosh tool to model, simulate and graph dynamic systems
- WinA&D - Windows tool to model, simulate and graph dynamic systems
References
- Business Dynamics, John Sterman, 2000 McGraw-Hill
- The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge, 1990 Doubleday
- Limits to Growth, Donella H. Meadows et al, 1972 Universe Books
- Industrial Dynamics, Jay Forrester 1961, Pegasus Communications
Articles
- Simile Description
- System Dynamics and Systems Thinking
- Introduction to Social Macrodynamics: Compact Macromodels of the World System Growth
- System Models & Simulation (pdf)