Ventana software support forum

Posted by mario romero zavala <mariorz@gmail.com> Hello everyone,

Im a student from Merida, Mexico and am looking for ideas about an interesting model to develop over the semester. I have been browsing around for ideas, but maybe this is the right place to ask. I hope to find a project that is relatively simple (this is an introductory system dynamics course) yet interesting and maybe even useful. I find system dynamics in general very interesting but Forester's paper on social systems, and it's application on government policies, was a real eye-opener. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Mario Romero
Posted by mario romero zavala <mariorz@gmail.com>
posting date Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:15:01 -0500

Posted by ""Duggan, James"" <james.duggan@nuigalway.ie> Hi Mario,

I think diffusion models (SI, SIR) are good examples to use. John Sterman's book - Business Dynamics - (chapter 9 I think!) presents both the SI and SIR models, and these can be used to model the spread of infectious diseases, the spread of new ideas and the spread of computer viruses. It also allows students to explore the idea of the ""tipping point"", and with this you could link into popular science books such as that by Malcolm Gladwell (see http://www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html).

Regards,
Jim.
Posted by ""Duggan, James"" <james.duggan@nuigalway.ie> posting date Wed, 30 Aug 2006 12:40:06 +0100

Posted by ""Bruce Skarin"" <bruceskarin@hotmail.com> Hello Mario,

It is a hot button topic, but I think a study of immigration and migrant workers in the US and the impacts on Mexico would be a worthwhile challenge.
This is certainly not a simple problem, but I think some very interesting insights may still arise from an simplified initial study (i.e as few stocks as possible).

There is definitely plenty of information on the structure of the problem and policies people (at least in the US) are trying to apply. I would be intrigued by study that incorporates not only the US perspective but also Mexico's.

Are there existing System Dynamics studies that my help Mario, should he try and tackle this? I will volunteer to provide feedback and technical assistance if you do take it on.

[ as always check the system dynamics bibliography for existing work

http://www.systemdynamics.org/biblio/sdbib.html

]

Good luck,

-Bruce
Posted by ""Bruce Skarin"" <bruceskarin@hotmail.com> posting date Wed, 30 Aug 2006 07:32:54 -0400

Posted by ""Malczynski, Leonard A"" <lamalcz@sandia.gov> Bruce Skarin suggests an interesting topic. We presented a paper on illegal immigration in Nijmegen this year. (Borders as Membranes:
Metaphors and Models for Improved Policy in Border Regions, by Leonard Malczynski, Kristan Cockerill, Craig Forster, Howard Passell ) Monday July 24, 11:30 AM session. The abstract, paper and model can be found at

http://www.systemdynamics.org (click on 2006 conference).

The model (Powersim Studio) is based upon a 1977 DYNAMO model from MIT by Gilbert Low and Homayoon Dabiri. There are a number of updates and additions that could be made.

Mario, I would be happy to discuss this outside of this forum if you like. There is a much longer version of the paper (85 pages) that I would be glad to send along.

Regards,
Len Malczynski
Sandia National Laboratories
Posted by ""Malczynski, Leonard A"" <lamalcz@sandia.gov> posting date Fri, 1 Sep 2006 08:27:04 -0600