Good Books for Teaching System Dynamics

[John Sterman]

Ivan Taylor wonders if my new system dynamics text, Business Dynamics, is
too advanced for beginners. I hope not. Certainly one of my goals was to
provide a resource that would help people who want to learn to build
effective models of difficult situations. To that end the book does go
into depth on issues such as the formulation of robust decision rules;
developing nonlinear functions; how to use delays, aging chains and
coflows; model testing; and other issues needed to build robust simulation
models grounded in the widest range of data (both numerical and
qualitative). I believe this material is essential for anyone seriously
interested in using system dynamics to solve problems in the real world.

However, the first part of the book is focused on the basic systems
thinking skills everyone needs, whether they ever plan to build a formal
simulation model or not. These include dynamic problem definition,
recognizing feedback and setting a broad model boundary; causal loop
diagramming; and mapping the stock and flow structure of a problem.

The book includes case studies of "system dynamics in action" that describe
how modeling has been used successfully in a diverse set of important
problems, from project management, automobile leasing strategy, and supply
chain reengineering to the cocaine epidemic, automobile recycling, and
global warming (the book is not only for those interested in business
applications of system dynamics).

The book also includes about 80 "Challenges" for readers to work through as
a way to develop and test their systems thinking and modeling skills.
These range from simple mental simulation exercises and causal-loop
diagramming case studies to full-scale modeling projects. I am currently
writing the instructors manual, which will include suggested solutions for
each of the challenges. The website (currently under construction) will
also contain resources to help both students and instructors.

The book also includes a cd-rom containing all the models developed in the
text, in ithink, Powersim, and Vensim format, along with ithink Run-time,
Powersim Lite, and Vensim PLE so that you can run them without needing any
additional software (the models and software are provided in both PC and
Macintosh formats). Id like to thank the folks at High Performance
Systems, Powersim, and Ventana for their generosity in providing their
software and helping in the translation of the models; full acknowledgments
are included at the website below.

Folks can read excerpts from the preface and see the table of contents at
http://web.mit.edu/jsterman/www/BusDyn2.html. The citation is Business
Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World,
Irwin/McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-231135-5.

Id be pleased to get any feedback.

John Sterman
jsterman@mit.edu

[Ivybeans@aol.com]

Fellow SDers,

I just acquired the book "The Art of Systems Thinking" by Joseph OConnor and
Ian McDermott. It looks like an excellent resource for introducing people to
systems dynamics. I would be interested in the opinions of others on the
mailing list that have read this book.

As Education Coordinator of Canadas National Capital System Dynamics Group,
I am always looked for good recent references. We currently offer a free
course based on the MIT Road Maps series but have found it to be too generic
for our intended audience. Our intended audience can be divided into policy
makers and analysts in the Government, Business and Education Sectors. We
would like to orient our course towards these three audiences separately and
hope to use John Stermans new book, "Business Dynamics" as the basis of
these three versions of our course. After having viewed the Table of
Contents on his website, I worry that novices might be overwhelmed by Johns
book.

Thus I am in a quandery. "The Art of System Thinking" looks like a good
resource for novices. "Business Dynamics" looks like a good resource for
advanced students. Maybe we need to develop a series of courses graded in
intensity to reach the various people in our intended audience at their
interest level.

Any thoughts on this approach,
Ivan Taylor
Education Coordinator
Canadas National Capital System Dynamics Group
<A HREF="http://customerexpressions.com/custex/n ... ">NCSDG</A>
From: Ivybeans@aol.com

["Bob Cavana"]

hi systems thinkers and modellers

Ivan Taylor has asked whether there are is any new material that
might be suitable for taking people beyond the introductory stages
of the fields of systems thinking and system dynamics. Kambiz
Maani and i have just completed a new book which we think meets
this gap! the full reference is:

"Systems Thinking and Modelling: Understanding Change and
Complexity", by Kambiz E. Maani and Robert Y.Cavana, Prentice
Hall, Auckland, January 2000.

(ISBN 1 877258 00

For, availablity please contact Bronwen Nicholson, Publishing
Editor, Pearson Education New Zealand Ltd,

email: Bronwen.Nicholson@pearsoned.co.nz

Details of this new book are:

Basic Approach
Systems thinking as a managerial and organisational discipline was
popularised in the 1990s. Since then, interest has grown all over the
world in organisational learning and related disciplines, but while
many articles and books have appeared, very few have provided
complete coverage of the field of systems thinking and modelling.
This book provides, therefore, a comprehensive introduction to
systems thinking and modelling (based on the system dynamics
approach) and its applications. Intended for students from 1st year
on, taking courses in business, social sciences and engineering.
The aim of the authors is to make the otherwise technical tools of
systems thinking and modelling accessible to a wide range of
people. Also suitable as a self-study volume for knowledge workers
in private, public and volunteer organisations and professionals in
education, social, medical and scientific fields. In addition, the book
provides a powerful catalyst for group and organisational learning.

Features
· a self-contained and unique blend of qualitative and quantitative
modelling, step-by-step methodology, numerous examples and
mini-cases;
· New Zealand case studies to show how the methods of systems
thinking apply to organisations;
· well-illustrated with systems models and diagrams in 2-colour
· cartoons, drawn especially for the book
· a CD-ROM inside the back cover, which includes the models
presented in the book as well as the run-time version of the ithink
software which allows users to create their own models.

Contents
Preface
Foreword
Part I
1 Introduction; 2 Systems methodology; 3 Causal loop modelling; 4
Dynamics modelling; 5 Scenario planning and modelling; 6
Microworlds and learning laboratory; 7 Systems thinking and the
organisation.

Part II Case studies
Preamble
Case 1 Public health reform - the case of New Zealand; Case 2
Lowering the legal drinking age; Case 3 Drivers of quality in health
services; Case 4 Mainland Beer distribution model; Case 5
Strategy development for a telecommunications business unit.
Glossary Index

ISBN: 1 877 25800 8 PUBLICATION DATE: January 2000
PRICE: NZ$59.95 approx EXTENT: 262 pp
SUPPLEMENTS: CD-ROM with ithink models