In Attendance
Officers: David Andersen (Vice President - Finance), Nan Lux (Vice President - Member & Chapter Activities), Ali Mashayekhi (President-Elect), Alexander L. Pugh, III (Past President), Michael J. Radzicki (Secretary), Jac Vennix (President)
Members: Approximately 60 members were present.
Call to Order
Action Items
The motion passed unanimously.
Informational Items
Winch announced that a short survey will soon be sent out in an effort to learn how to solve the medium-term backlog problem. The short-term backlog problem can be solved by fast-tracking the refereeing process for plenary session papers from the conference.
Special issues are also a good way to deal with backlog problems. Winch noted that Usman Ghani will edit a special issue on system dynamics and consulting. Similarly, Carmine Bianchi will edit a special issue on small business uses of system dynamics.
Lastly, Winch noted that he will be stepping down as Executive Editor on 1 January 2002. He appealed to the membership to let him pass on a good backlog of papers to his successor.
- President-Elect: Paal Davidson
- Vice President - Finance: David Andersen
- Vice President - Member & Chapter Activities: Nan Lux
- Policy Council: Kevin O'Neill (United States), Andreas Groessler (Germany), Tae Hoon Moon (South Korea), Qing rui Xu (China)
- Compiling a list of system dynamics courses world-wide.
- Codifying an "ideal" system dynamics curriculum.
Paal Davidson and the committee will begin working on these tasks after the Bergen conference.
- Provide more information for the non-system dynamicist.
- Provide some distance learning opportunities in system dynamics.
With respect to the second goal, Pugh noted that Mike Radzicki and Robert Taylor have donated a web-based system dynamics tutorial to the Society and that Jay Forrester's Road Maps course could be placed on the site as well.
Lastly, Pugh noted that he would eventually like to see the Society's membership directory on the site.
- Australasia. John Barton reported that the Australasia interest group grew out of the Wellington conference. This year, the group will host a conference. To date, 150 papers have been submitted and approximately 80 have been accepted.
In other interest group news:
- Kambiz Maani and Bob Cavana have published a book titled System Thinking and Modelling.
- The University of New South Wales has established a center for system dynamics modeling.
- Although Monash University had a strong program in system dynamics, it has regrettably been closed down. The system dynamics courses have been kept on the books by the university, however.
- China. Quifan Wang reported that the Chinese chapter held a conference in 2000 and that research on a national model of China (started in 1999) has netted good results. The chapter has approximately 500 domestic members and five international members. It is currently sending excellent undergraduate students to Bergen's masters program in system dynamics.
- India. Santanu Roy reported that the Indian interest group will hold a national conference from 26-29 December 2000. This conference is held bi-annually.
- Italy. Habib Sedehi reported that the Italian chapter was started in 1995 with 20 members, 12 of whom were also Society members. Happily, it just received its official chapter status at the Bergen conference. Currently the chapter has 70 members, 28 of whom are also Society members.
The Italian chapter holds two meetings per year and hosts system dynamics workshops from time to time. There is a significant system dynamics presence in Milan, Genoa, Rome, Palermo, and Florence. In 2002 the chapter will host the international system dynamics conference.
- Japan. Toru Suetake handed out a written report from the Japanese chapter. According to the report, 2000 marks the tenth anniversary of the chapter, started by Professor Toshio Shimda. The chapter holds two meetings each month -- one pertaining to the Japanese national model and one pertaining to research -- and publishes a monthly newsletter.
- United Kingdom. Michael Kennedy reported that, although a group of system dynamics academics and practitioners has been meeting for the last four years, the UK chapter is only in its first year of official operation. Its inaugural president is Geoff Coyle and its membership has risen from around 17 to 63 in 2000. The chapter expects around 80 members in 2001.
This year the chapter awarded a student prize and is interested in hosting additional events in collaboration with other groups such as the Society for Research in Higher Education.
- Student Interest Group. Ozge Pala reported that the group will apply for full chapter status at the next meeting of the Policy Council. It intends to host a Ph.D. colloquium at the next system dynamics conference and will be updating its web page soon.
David Andersen told the students in the audience to be sure to inform the Policy Council if any support is needed.
- The South Korean chapter has been officially approved by the Policy Council.
- Atlanta, Georgia (USA) will be the site of the 2001 conference.
- Palermo, Italy will be the site of the 2002 conference.
- WPI (USA) may host the 2003 conference.
- The 2004 conference may be held in Barcelona, Spain.
- The Policy Council will make every effort to avoid conflicts between the annual system dynamics conference and other major conferences (e.g., the annual conference of the Academy of Management).
- The Executive Editor of the System Dynamics Review must be replaced. Anyone wishing to nominate a candidate should contact the President or the Vice President - Publications Eric Wolstenholme.
Discussion
- Increasing the quality and quantity of system dynamics education.
- Increasing the quality and quantity of papers flowing to the System Dynamics Review and other top journals.
- Opening relationships with other professional societies.
This generated a spirited discussion.
Jack Pugh argued that the electronic discussion hosted by John Rohrbaugh on the internet was set-up to spend money, not set goals. Alternatively, Jac Vennix suggested that there may have been some useful ideas generated by Rohrbaugh's process.
Ali Mashayekhi asked how the Society should go about operationalizing its priorities.
Andy Ford suggested that the Society schedule its conference adjacent to other conferences.
Erling Moxnes suggested that the Society needs a list on its web site that tells people what they can do for the Society.
A systematic marketing program was also suggested.
John Morecroft noted that John Wiley has a significant presence at many conferences and should be encouraged to promote system dynamics at these events.
At this point David Packer moved and Jack Pugh seconded a motion to "formally endorse Jac Vennix's three priorities for the Society." The motion passed unanimously.
Guenther Ossimitz, author of the system dynamics "mega-list," suggested that his list could add to the Society's web presence. Furthermore, the list should be expanded, for example, to other languages.
Jim Hines suggested that there should be links back and forth between the Society's web site and the mega-list.
Nathan Forrester moved and Jim Hines seconded a motion to "assign web master Jack Pugh the task of investigating how to establish links between the Society's web site and the mega-list."
Adjournment
Andreas Groessler moved and Nathan Forrester seconded a motion that "the meeting be adjourned." The motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at by Jac Vennix at 2:27 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael J. Radzicki
Secretary