1.2) Systems Thinking (cont'd)

A prominent example of the application of system dynamics modelling is the “Limits to Growth” report published by the Club of Rome in 1971 (more on this later). A quote from the 30 year update to this publication serves as a good example of the applications of systems thinking:

"When we, system dynamicists, see a pattern persist in many parts of a system over long periods, we assume that it has causes embedded in the feedback loop structure of the system. Running the system harder or faster will not change the pattern as long as the structure is not revised. Growth as usual has widened the gap between the rich and the poor. Continuing growth as usual will never close that gap. Only changing the structure of the system – the chains of cause and effect – will do that.”

p. 43-44, “Limits to Growth, the 30-year update”, Donella Meadows, Jorgen Randers, Dennis Meadows.