Building consensus in strategic decision making: System dynamics as a group support system

Abstract

Abstract.System dynamics was originally founded as a method for modeling and simulating the behavior of industrial systems. In recent years it is increasingly employed as a Group Support System for strategic decision-making groups. The model is constructed in direct interaction with a management team, and the procedure is generally referred to as group model-building. The model can be conceptual (qualitative) or a full-blown (quantitative) computer simulation model. In this article, a case is described in which a qualitative system dynamics model was built to support strategic decision making in a Dutch government agency.Since people from different departments held strongly opposite viewpoints on the strategy, the agency had discussed its strategic problem for more than a year, but was obviously not able to reach consensus. The application of group model-building was successful in integrating opposite points of view, as well as in fostering consensus and creating commitment.The purpose of the article is twofold, first, to illustrate the process of group model-building with system dynamics; second, to evaluate why it was successful. Evaluation results reveal the importance of both systemic thinking through model-building and the role of the facilitator in catalyzing the strategic decision-making process.

Facilitated modelling with discrete-event simulation: Reality or myth?

“…Early work in system dynamics recognised the need to involve the clients 4 in the modelling, but it was in the 1990s that parallel activities in Europe and the USA developed the idea of group model building. Vennix (1995Vennix ( , 1996 used the term group model building to refer to the construction of a system dynamics model whilst working directly with a group of clients; here 'learning teams' are created in which people learn from each other to generate a shared perspective. At a similar time, Richardson and Andersen (1995) were developing system dynamics models through facilitated workshops with computer projection.…”

Dynamics of participation: System dynamics and participation—An empirical review

“…Furthermore, practitioners of SD have made efforts to find empirical validation for the supposed advantages of (participatory) SD modelling. Vennix () describes an intervention where participants claimed to have gained new insight into the problem and felt the process helped create commitment around the solution agreed—also notable is the fact, however, that the facilitator of the modelling process plays a significant part in creating this commitment (cf. also Vennix, , pp.…”

Su Kaynakları Yönetimi İçin Bir Öneri: Sistem Dinamiği - A Suggestion For Water Resources Management: System Dynamics

“…Zamanın azlığından, yüksek belirsizlikten ve mevcut veri tabanlarına ulaşılamaması gibi sebeplerle uygulanabilirliği zaman içinde kısıtlı olabilmektedir (Vennix, 1995;Warren, 2005;Herrera, 2014).…”