Posted by Carl Betterton <
carlb@uga.edu>
SDMAIL Richard Stevenson wrote:
> So SDS - can you afford to lose people like us?
I am one of those Richard describes who has ""had it"" with SDS, but certainly
NOT with system dynamics. The ""straw that broke the camel's back"" for me was
the new dues policy requiring a statement of my income bracket. I did not
renew my membership in SDS and intend to be a charter member of a new,
professional organization. If you wish to be included in that organization,
let me know and I will prepare an email list so we can get started.
(Richard,
if you already have such a list, let me know.
As Richard indicates, much that the SDS needs to do is, and has been,
painfully obvious for a long time, but the society seemingly just refuses to
take any action. Given below are snips from my post of 4 September 2007,
just
to illustrate that ideas have been offered prior to Kim's more recent
request. If someone were to sift through past postings of this list they
would see that suggestions have been plentiful but action has been absent.
* System Dynamics needs to claim a career field, and because of the
nature of SD that career field ought to be related to the overall
organization, as in Strategic Management or Strategy Development.
* System Dynamics also has no specific ""home"" within an organization but
applies to every part. So a natural place for SD is as an extension of the
top leadership, in the form of ongoing strategic evaluation for the
organization.
* Just look on our web home page and you read, ""System dynamics ...
models to confirm that the structure hypothesized can lead to the observed
behavior and to test the effects of alternative policies on key variables
over time."" Sure sounds valuable for strategy to my ears.
* So why not as a start at least, make strategy and strategic thinking
the central organizing focus of a System Dynamics Institute. A by-line
related to strategy could be added to the institute name, as in (just one
example): System Dynamics Institute - Strategy In Motion.
* One thing I do agree with Richard on is that our web site needs a
complete makeover. It was great when it was first established but the
expectations of web design interface have changed quite a lot in just a
short
time. Let's admit it, our web site regardless of the content has an amateur
look. Our web site does not do a good job of representing us as members. It
should be polished and professional.
* Why not develop and publish a ""Body of Knowledge"" about System
Dynamics.
* Perhaps publish a Dictionary of System Dynamics Terms.
* Let's commission a few ""white papers"" on what SD has to offer (in
strategy and other areas) and place them on the web for public consumption.
* How about credentials for a System Dynamics professional?
* How about revising the purpose of the society to include problem
solving? Currently we say: ""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. With members in
fifty-five countries, the Society provides a forum in which researchers,
educators, consultants, and practitioners in the corporate and public
sectors
interact to introduce newcomers to the field, keep abreast of current
developments, and build on each other's work"" Encourage development of ST
and
SD to what end? Provide a forum to what end? How about EXPLICITLY for
solving
some serious business, governmental, social, or other problems! How about
applying System Dynamics in a sustained way to bring drinking water and
basic
sanitation to millions who need it for example?
Cheers
Carl E. Betterton, Ph.D., P.E.
Posted by Carl Betterton <
carlb@uga.edu>
posting date Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:29:58 -0400
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