System Dynamics is a field that resulted from the pioneering efforts of Jay W. Forrester to apply the engineering principles of feedback and control to social systems. One of the earliest and still one of the best references in this field is Industrial Dynamics by Jay W. Forrester (The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1961).
A recent and comprehensive book on system dynamics is Business Dynamics: Systems Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World by John D. Sterman (Irwin McGraw Hill, Boston: 2000). This book works through both conceptual issues and a number of sample models, all of which are available in an included CD. All the models can be run with Vensim PLE. More information is available at http://www.mhhe.com/business/opsci/sterman.
A textbook which gives a straightforward and very readable presentation of how to build models is Introduction to System Dynamics Modeling with DYNAMO, by G.P. Richardson and A.L. Pugh (The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1981) available from Pegasus Communications.
Another useful resource, containing a number of interesting real world examples is System Enquiry, A System Dynamic Approach by Eric F. Wolstenholme (John Wiley & Sons, New York 1990).
A very popular and readable book covering many conceptual issues in thinking systemically about problems is The Fifth Discipline by Peter M. Senge (Doubleday, New York, 1990).
Modeling for Learning Organizations. Eds John D. W. Morecroft and John D. Sterman, Productivity Press, Portland, OR, 1994. Covers some of the recent work in modeling businesses and other organizations, and includes case studies and reviews of simulation software.
Urban Dynamics by Jay W. Forrester covers urban development, with emphasis on job training programs, housing and employment issues. The urban model in Urban Dynamics is included with Vensim.
Global Modeling
An interesting and controversial work World Dynamics by Jay W. Forrester (The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1971; second edition, 1973, available from Pegasus Communications) discusses growth in a finite world. The World model contained in this book is included in the models supplied with Vensim.
Following up on World Dynamics was the widely read book The Limits to Growth by Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jørgen Randers and William W. Behrens, III (Universe Books, New York 1972) a follow on work Beyond the Limits by Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows and Jørgen Randers (Chelsea Green Publishing Company, Post Mills Vermont 1992), and a revised version Limits to Growth – the 30-year Update, by Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows and Jørgen Randers (Chelsea Green Publishing Company, White River Junction Vermont 2004 http://www.chelseagreen.com ) Detailed discussion of the model used in these works is presented in Dynamics of Growth in a Finite World by Dennis L. Meadows et al (The MIT Press, Cambridge MA 1974). The model used for the most recent book is included with Vensim.
Environmental Modeling
Modeling the Environment: An Introduction so System Dynamics Modeling of Environmental Systems by Andrew Ford is an introduction to both system dynamics modeling techniques and their application to environmental modeling. More information is available at http://www.wsu.edu/~forda/.
Living in the Environment: 9th Edition by G. Tyler Miller Jr. (Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont CA 1996 ISBN 0-534-23898-X) is a biology and ecology textbook that includes discussion of a number of issues from a system dynamics perspective. A companion to this work, Simulations for Miller's Living in the Environment 9th Edition, by David Peterson (Wadsworth Publishing Company, Belmont CA 1996 ISBN 0-534-23905-6) presents a number of models demonstrating issues discussed in the book. Both are available from bookstores or from Thomson Communications, 7625 Empire Drive, Florence, KY 41042 Phone: 800-865-5840, Fax: 606-647-5013.
