Reconciling the four schools of thought in system dynamics

Who it's for: Learners who have familiarity with the basic concepts of systems dynamics and are seeking to learn about the state of the field.

Why we love it: This article provides key discourse on the current state and future direction of system dynamics following the passing of Dr. Jay Forrester. The article draws parallels between historical periods of succession and the current state of the field to highlight four distinct schools of thought (empirical, structural, pragmatic, and methodological) and the issue of quality control. Learners looking to engage further with this discussion can read the several responses to this paper (on the right-hand side of the linked webpage).

Citation: Clancy, T., Langarudi, S. P., & Zaini, R. (2023). Never the strongest: Reconciling the four schools of thought in system dynamics in the debate on quality. System Dynamics Review, 39(3), 277–294. https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.1740