The PDCA (plan-do-check-act) is an iterative problem-solving process made popular by Dr. W. Edwards Deming. The cycle is typically used in business/organizational development processes and is referred to as the Deming cycle, Shewhart cycle, Deming wheel, or plan-do-study-act. When viewed from a systemic perspective it becomes evident that an evolution of the PDCA cycle would make it even more valuable in terms of fostering organizational development.
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=PDCA_and_the_LAIR_Model
To what extent is it appropriate to support a bad situation that’s not likely to improve. Is the support simply prolonging the inevitable?
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=The_Niagara_Syndrome
The establishment of a goal is generally based on some place, or some state, one wants to be at in the future, as compared to where one is currently in the present. The variance, or gap, between the current state and the desired future state, goal, is then used to create motivation for the activity required to transform the current state into the goal. The difficulty here lies in the systemic nature of the structure which is created from the underlying mental model. What happens at the end of a 100 yard dash? The finish line has been reached and the runners stop! This is a general tendency which accompanies goals, and when the activity is dependent on the distance from the goal, the situation is actually even worse than with a 100 yard dash.
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=Goals:_A_Self-Limiting_Proposition
I have come to understand from a number of sources that there exists some controversy regarding the basis of model development. As I understand it there are those that seem to feel there is great value in beginning with the Archetypes and elaborating them as warranted by the actual environment being modeled. And, there seem to be those that contend that it is better to begin with the basic Stock & Flow components and build the model from essentially nothing but an understanding of the environment being modeled. So which is best? Yes, you guessed it, “It Depends!”
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=Modeling:_Archetypes_vs._Stock_%26_Flow
Community implies a common interest and it is the pursuit of this common interest that the knowledge-leveraging infrastructure must support. Whether the common interest is to deal with a situation, avoid something, maintain something, or accomplish something, the common interest serves as the basis for the purpose and vision of the community.
A community, however, does not exist in isolation and is part of a larger body or system. The system is made up of the community and those with whom the community interacts.
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=Knowledge_Leveraging_Community_Infrastructure
The Introduction to Systems Thinking and Introduction to Simulation courses are complete and ready for use. If you can provide feedback for improvement it would be most appreciated. Also, your thoughts about the education level of the perceived target audience would be helpful.
I figured this might be be an interesting title for an article written by someone who makes their livelihood doing modeling and simulation. And yet, I have come to understand it is a most appropriate statement of truth. After having been involved in numerous modeling and simulation efforts, which produced far less than the desired results, the nagging question becomes; Why? This is the question I intend to address.
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=Simulation_is_not_the_Answer
The Canadian Government was facing a tax gap due to the difference between their desired tax revenue and their current tax revenue. The Canadian Government’s solution to this situation was to increase cigarette tax with the intent of increasing current tax revenue. As it turned out current tax revenue actually declined. Why?
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=Tax_Revenue_Pressure
Models are the things we build to help us better understand situations. When dealing with concepts of reality we have as the only alternative those abstractions we develop as models, or in situations where it is simply to costly to build the real thing, we build models to help us understand. In short models are simplifications, or abstractions, of reality intended to promote understanding. Whether the models we create are good models or poor models depends on the extent to which they aid us in developing the understanding we seek. As to whether a model is correct or incorrect is probably something which will only become evident in time.
One cannot manage people, one must manage with people, and we seldom see ourselves as others see us. In “Leadership is an Art,” Max DePree presents the idea of a leader as a bus driver. If he doesn’t take people where they want to go, they get off. In concert with this, Stephen Covey, in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” stated the 5th habit as: Seek first to understand …then to be understood. The essence of bringing each of these to pass is communication.
http://www.systemswiki.org/index.php?title=Harmony:_A_Process_for_Discovery