System dynamics at Mannheim University
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System dynamics at Mannheim University P Milling Industrieseminar der Universitaet, Mannheim, Germany
System dynamicsÐor industrial dynamics as the approach was called back in its early daysÐcame to Mannheim in 1968. Gert v. Kortz¯eisch, who was then head of the Industrieseminara (which comprises the Chair of Operations Management and the Institute of Physical and Chemical Technology in the Faculty of Business Administration at Mannheim University), had read Edward Roberts' book on The Dynamics of Research and Development1, and he visited MIT to meet Jay W. Forrester. It took v. Kortz¯eisch only a brief time span to recognise that system dynamics went far beyond the scope of a R&D-speci®c method. As a result system dynamics became, and still is, the paradigm of teaching, research, and consulting at the Industrieseminar. Erich Zahn and Peter Milling were sent immediately to MIT and had the opportunity to learn system dynamics from the founders of the ®eld, gain ®rst hand experience, and later apply and deepen their knowledge in the Club of Rome project The Limits to Growth.2 Since 1969, system dynamics courses have been taught each semester at Mannheim, and these courses continued even after Erich Zahn and Peter Milling had left Mannheim to teach at other universities. Peter Milling later succeeded v. Kortz¯eisch as head of the Industrieseminar at Mannheim. Still, every semester a classic `Principles of Systems' course is taught which is mandatory for all students in operations management. It is totally dedicated to system dynamics. During the course, which includes small case studies, students are taught the theoretical background of feedback systems thinking and numerical simulation as well as being introduced to visual modelling software. In order to do their diploma studies at the Industrieseminar students have to pass an end-of-course exam. Course topics include, for example, planning and control in complex systems, the process of model development, playing the `beer-game', ®rst order systems and delays, the use of generic structures, and problems of quanti®cation and validation. For modelling assignments students use a freely distributed `Personal Learning 1 Edition' of Vensim . A second, optional course is offered at least once a year and covers more advanced topics. Here, students have to Correspondence: Professor Peter Milling, Industrieseminar, Mannheim University, D-68131 Mannheim, Germany. E-mail: [email protected].
build and analyse a more extensive simulation model. For instance, they develop a model showing the effects of different ®nance and investment strategies in an enterprise. Another possibility is the development of a complex diffusion model. This is a step by step case study based on the research done at the Industrieseminar.3 The courses are very interactive as the students have to present and pursue the structures they built. There is no formal degree in system
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