System Dynamics Modeling Homework assignment

Due date: Friday November 2nd, 2012.

Read the first two pages of the preview-draft of the Preface to Modeling the Environment by Andrew Ford. The first two pages consists only of 9 paragraphs.

1. "It is May of 2009 as this book goes into production. ..." Paragraph one of the 2nd edition.
   1. Name 3 different problems that Andrew Ford lists in paragraph one of the preface.
   2. What are we left wondering about?
   3. What are we left confused over?

2. According to paragraph two, what are we unable to anticipate these days? What or who has the actions? What has the reactions?

3. Paragraph 3 explains the premise of the book. What is the premise of the book?

4. "The methods described in this book have been used in a wide range of environmental and business problems, including ... " is how the 4th paragraph begins.
   1. How are the methods illustrated?
   2. What is the premise of systems modeling?
   3. Name the two fundamental patterns that were mentioned (out of the six fundamental shapes or patterns)

5. "This book demonstrates the transferability of systems ideas across many disciplines." - 5th paragraph of the preface.

   1. "You'll see cycles in ........... and cycles in .........."? Fill in the two blanks.
   2. "We will simulate the recovery of ................"? What? Fill in the blank.
   3. Of the 9 disciplines mentioned that the book's website BWeb applications deal with, which two of them are the most interesting to you? Briefly tell me why.

6. "The major environmental challenges of our time are inherently interdisciplinary." according to paragraph 6.

   1. What 3 systems do feedback effects interconnect in a very tightly coupled system?
   2. What 3 things are given great clarity of representation by using system dynamics approaches such as the tool Vensim allows?

7. What is the best way to begin, according to paragraph 7?

Preface to Modeling the Environment by Andrew Ford.