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Why the system surprises us

9 important questions on Why the system surprises us

What are the three truths about system dynamics that Meadows stretches in her book?

1. Everything we think we know about the world is a model (a mental model)
2. Our models usually have a strong congruence with the world (verbondenheid)
3. Our models don't represent the world fully

You can't navigate well in an interconnected, feedback-dominated world, unless...

1. You look at the long-term behavior
2. You take into account limiting factors, nonlinearities and delays.

Systems fool us by presenting themselves as a series of events. System structure is the source of system behavior and it's much more than just a series of events. When we encounter system problems, what's the approach regarding events, behavior and structure?

First, we look at the events, then we try to understand what the long-term behavior is, based on those events. Eventually we try to understand the underlying system structure. The structure is key in telling us 'why' things happen. In turn, the structure determines the systems behavior.

Much analysis don't go deeper than event level.

What's the behavior of a balancing, reinforcing feedback loop and those two together in a system?

1. Balancing feedback loop; approaches or holds a dynamic equilibrium.
2. Reinforcing feedback loop; generates exponential growth
3. The two linked together are capable of growth, decay or equilibrium.

Behavior models are more useful than event models, but there are still fundamental problems. Which two are that?

1. They typically overemphasize flows and underemphasize stocks.
2. Behavior-based econometric models are good in predicting near-term and bad predicting long-term and terrible telling how to improve the performance of the economy.

What's the difference between linearity and non-linearity?

Linearity is a relationship that consists of constant proportions. It is a solvable relationship.

Non-linearity is a relationship that doesn't produce a proportional effect. It's therefore also not solvable.

Nonlinearities are important not only because they cofound (Verwarren) our expectations about the relationship between action and response, but also...

Because they change the relative strength in feedback loops --> they can flip from one mode of behavior into another one. In other words: it can switch the dominant feedback loop.

What does meadows mean by layers of limits in system models?

The input that is most important to a system, often is the one that is most limiting. The choice is therefore not to grow forever, but to decide what limits to live within.

What does Meadows mean by exaggerated present?

That we pay too much attention to recent experience and too little attention to the past, focusing on current events rather than long-term behavior.

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Thinking in Systems: A Primer | 9781603580557

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Why the system surprises us

9 important questions on Why the system surprises us

What are the three truths about system dynamics that Meadows stretches in her book?

You can't navigate well in an interconnected, feedback-dominated world, unless...

Systems fool us by presenting themselves as a series of events. System structure is the source of system behavior and it's much more than just a series of events. When we encounter system problems, what's the approach regarding events, behavior and structure?

What's the behavior of a balancing, reinforcing feedback loop and those two together in a system?

Behavior models are more useful than event models, but there are still fundamental problems. Which two are that?

What's the difference between linearity and non-linearity?

Nonlinearities are important not only because they cofound (Verwarren) our expectations about the relationship between action and response, but also...

What does meadows mean by layers of limits in system models?

What does Meadows mean by exaggerated present?

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