SD 550: System Dynamics Foundation: Managing Complexity

Why do some businesses grow while others stagnate or decline? What causes oscillation and amplification - the so called “bullwhip” - in supply chains? Why do large scale projects so commonly over overrun their budgets and schedules? This course explores the counterintuitive dynamics of complex organizations and how managers can make the difference between success and failure. Students learn how even small changes in organizational structure can produce dramatic changes in organizational behavior. Real cases and computer simulation modeling combine for an in-depth examination of the feedback concept in complex systems. Topics include: supply chain dynamics, project dynamics, commodity cycles, new product diffusion, and business growth and decline. The emphasis throughout is on the unifying concepts of system dynamics.