Systems Research and Behavioral Science articles from July 2004

Systems Research and Behavioral Science archives from July 2004

Rationality in System Dynamics: Modelling Human and Organizational Decision Making: selected papers from the First European System Dynamics Workshop, March 2003, Mannheim University.(Editorial)
July 1, 2004... In 2003 authors Grossler and Milling organized a two-day workshop at Mannheim University, Germany, devoted to the topic of 'Rationality in System Dynamics: Modelling Human and Organizational Decision Making'. This edition of Systems Research...

A content and process view on bounded rationality in system dynamics.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... In contrast to classical economic theory and its assumption of perfect rationality, decisions in real-world organizations are mostly characterized by complex contexts and uncertain outcomes. 'Complexity' can be described as consisting of three...

Why has feedback systems thinking struggled to influence strategy and policy formulation? suggestive evidence, explanations and solutions.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... UPTAKE OF FEEDBACK SYSTEMS THINKING AMONGST MANAGEMENT Many systems-based approaches to policy and strategy development have long been available to help management (Checkland, 1981; Richardson, 1991; Flood and Jackson, 1991). Yet in spite...

Has feedback thinking failed to influence strategy and policy formulation? Comment on the paper by Warren.(Discussant's Comments)
July 1, 2004... Warren (2004) discusses a problem widely known in the system dynamics community. He argues 'that the use of causal loop diagrams in education and practical application, whilst well intentioned, has failed to progress the field, and may indeed...

Exploring influencing factors on rationality: a literature review of dynamic decision-making studies in system dynamics.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... People in complex systems act somewhere in the broad continuum between the two extremes of perfect rationality and mindless, capricious behaviour (Sterman, 2000). In other words, their decisions are neither optimal nor complete nonsense but are...

Can we study individual rationality by using simulators? Comment on the paper by Rouwette et al.(Discussant's Comments)
July 1, 2004... This contribution was welcomed both because it raises important issues about the factors that might determine players' performance in simulator game-playing, and how this links with levels of 'boundedness' in the rationality of the developers...

Consumers' bounded rationality: the case of competitive energy markets.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... 1. INTRODUCTION As the liberalization of the electricity industry is taking place globally, competition has been promoted at the retail level, resulting in the freedom of consumers to choose from competing suppliers, in many countries...

Rationality in consumers' behaviour: comment on the paper by Dyner and Franco.(Discussant's Comments)
July 1, 2004... According to some estimates, about one fifth or even about one quarter (if taking into account the energy expended for cooling the sources of light) of consumed electricity in the USA has been used for illumination (von Weizsacker et al.,...

The relationship between performance in dynamic systems and intelligence.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... System dynamics is a scientific area that deals with the understanding and modeling of the most complex phenomena in the real world (Forrester, 1961). The real world is dynamic, full of non-linearities, with unknown laws and relationships that...

Methodologies in conflict: achieving synergies between system dynamics and organizational cybernetics.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... INTRODUCTION Management science has always aimed at providing concepts and tools for dealing rationally with issues and problems faced by organizations. Over the decades, the practice and the science of management have increasingly been...

Irrational agents or accomplished social actors? Comment on the paper by Schwaninger.(Discussant's Comments)
July 1, 2004... INTRODUCTION In his paper Markus Schwaninger argues for the use of two systems approaches--system dynamics and management cybernetics--in a way which is both theoretically coherent and able to provide practical assistance to...

Analysis of stock management gaming experiments and alternative ordering formulations.(Research Paper)
July 1, 2004... 1. STOCK MANAGEMENT GAME For the purpose of experimental testing, the generic stock management problem, one of the most common dynamic decision problems, is chosen as the interactive gaming environment. The objective of the game is stated...

Reflections on the European System Dynamics Workshop.(Afterword)
July 1, 2004... One of the highlights in my year as President of the System Dynamics Society was the time I spent with colleagues and friends at the European System Dynamics Workshop organized by the Industrieseminar, University of Mannheim in March 2003. ...