Causal Loop suggestions

[IanB]

I was just wondering what you guys think of this causal loop diagram. I work for the City of Providence and I am attempting to document how the city works as a whole. The big questions are: "What drives votes" "Is this technology worth buying" Maybe if I can get a better handle on how to document using System Dynamics I could publish this in our local paper. Let me know if anyone has seen this type of work before? Looking for all the help I can get.

I am very new to system dynamics, this is my first real working diagram. I just want to know what other people think about it and if I may be leaving large stocks out of the diagram. Any gaping holes? Heck, am I eaven using causal loops correctly?

I also don't know where or how the mayor's policies influence the system. His policies will impact every variable in the diagram. So how do I represent that in the model?

[Edited on 2-9-2003 by IanB]

[IanB]

I have added the City Union into the picture. And I know there are a lot of problems with the diagram. I may use this diagram to show how the union cripples the city. As you can see from the diagram, as wage rate approaches infinity it does not inrease worker productivity in the long run. Instead productivity will only increase in the long run if the "Union allowable FTE productivity" increases. Because even as departmental success increases, the productivity allowed by the union per Full Time Equivelant will remain the same. So over the long run, the city will need to hire more people or allow for departmental success to go down. As well as the mayoral success to decrease.

Hmm...this is may be quite confusing, what do you think?

[IanB]

forgot to attach the file....

[Lee Jones]

I have had a look at the diagram and it seems a promising start for an intruiging problem. In the UK, I think labour unions would welcome the idea of enhanced productivity so I am not sure what is meant by union allowable FTE productivity. Suggesting that the unions would actively move to reduce the departmental success confuses me (I just don't understand what unions are all about if that is the case ).

Also, quality of life would be affected by investment in the city so your link suggesting higher taxes mean lower quality of life could be questionable (perhaps it depends on the colour of your politics!).

What you have here is a very good starting point for discussion. It is important to bring this work to as many "experts" as can find the time before submitting to the general public. I am not sure if this has been done already?

One further thought; if, as you say, any enhancement of staff productivity brought about by improved wages etc would drive down the union allowable FTE productivity, I think this would be a direct link rather than a link through departmental success. This avoids suggesting the unions are out to scupper the success of the department (surely not?).

These are just some initial thoughts, does anyone else on the forum wish to contribute?

[IanB]

WOW this is great. Exactly what happens in the model is what I am trying to proove. The argument is that the union only allows so much work to be completed by one person. If one union worker is doing more work then another, the union will suggest to that person that they do less work, so the city will have to hire more poeple. This will drive the budget up and also raise taxes, contributing to voter dis-satisfaction.

You highlighted the falacy I was trying to portray with the diagram. So that is good.

As to the second comment, I believe investment in the city will be influenced by many factors. The main factor that the city has control over is taxes. We also have control over policies that attract businesses but as the diagram suggests, taxes are our only real avenue for impacting the attractiveness of the city.

I choose currently to leave factors such as available housing, traffic conguestion, high skilled workers, low skilled workers, ect... As you very well know there are many factors that can improve quality of life, if you feel that I am missing one that the city directly impacts. I would like to hear of it. Also, I don't know how to apply the math involved in "running" the dynamic diagram. Any good resources on how to learn this.

I am in my third year of college and I currently work for the mayor of the city of Providence. I have resources available to look at my work, but I intend on having a paper written before I start distributing anything beyond this site. I think I would like to come up with a true paper on this phenomenom with examples to proove the diagram.

Has anyone on here been published in a local paper for their studies? And how do you elevate your work to a level that is publishable and convincing to people outside the system dynamic world. It has taken three weeks just to learn how to make and understand the diagrams.

Thanks for the comment! I look forward to discussing this more!

One last thing. FTE=Full Time Equivelant = an employee

[Edited on 3-9-2003 by IanB]