Charlemagne's Works
Volume 1: Chapter 7
2007 Conference of the System Dynamics Society

Monday, July 30, 2007

Building The World Presentation
Competition Announcement


The conference program will consist of plenary, parallel, poster and workshop sessions
demonstrating the state of the art in the theory and application of system dynamics.

2007 marks the 25th annual conference of the System Dynamics Society and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the field. The conference will bring together diverse perspectives on the application of system dynamics to important issues including:

- regional, national and global economic dynamics
- environmental and ecological challenges
- industry evolution: interactions of competition and organizational capabilities
- corporate strategy
- public safety and security
- public policy applications

System dynamics is a methodology for studying and managing complex feedback systems, such as one finds in business and other social systems. In fact it has been used to address practically every sort of feedback system. While the word system has been applied to all sorts of situations, feedback is the differentiating descriptor here. Feedback refers to the situation of X affecting Y and Y in turn affecting X perhaps through a chain of causes and effects. One cannot study the link between X and Y and, independently, the link between Y and X and predict how the system will behave. Only the study of the whole system as a feedback system will lead to correct results.

Building The World will be featured at the evening Symposium and Buffet. Co-author Dr. Kathleen Lusk Brooke will present the book's findings, as well as announce the inaugural Building The World Prize to be awarded in May, 2008.

The Building The World Prize is an essay competition for System Dynamics students and practitioners. The competition will accept essay entries on plausible approaches to improving the world's future by targetting one of twelve critical global problems. The winning essay will receive the Building The World Prize award of $1000. And winners may be asked to submit a poster proposal for the 2009 System Dynamics Conference. For more information, please download the competition guidelines. For additional information, please contact prize@buildingtheworld.com.



Kathleen Lusk Brooke presents a poster of "Building the World" as R. Joel Rahn, of the System Dynamics Society and an early leader of the field, views "Theory of Stable Dynamical Systems" by Fritz Gassman and Mathias Bosshardt of the Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland.

Jørgen Randers, Professor, Norwegian School of Management, Oslo, Norway,
shares an insight regarding the founding of the System Dynamics Society.
Event Details
  • July 30, 2007
  • Seaport Hotel
    Boston, MA 02210
    1-877-SEAPORT (1-877-732-7678)
Additional Information
Beer Game World Championships
  • During the conference, participants will have an opportunity to be part of history when the Beer Game World Championship takes place at Boston's Seaport Hotel. The purpose of the game is to illustrate the key principle that "structure produces behavior." Co-Author Frank P. Davidson (right) reviews the process chart of the Beer Game above with Roberta Spencer of the System Dynamics Society (middle) and Robin Langer (left).
  • For more information on the Beer Game as an experiential learning process, view System Dynamic Society's online documentation