ITESM Campus Monterrey
Department of Industrial Engineering
IN2005 System Dynamics
Prof. Rafael E. Bourguet-Diaz
Homework # 01 Structuring information based on “Limits to growth” archetype
Type: individual.
Due date: first 10 minutes of the first monthly examination.
Read “Archetype 1: limits to growth” (Senge, 1990, pp. 93-104), available at Bb>Homework.
Then, for the following organizational situations:
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(20 points) Launch of new products.
(20 points) Growth of the law firm.
(20 points) Perception of threat between quality circles and union.
(20 points) Just in time.
1. Set the polarities (+ or -) of all the links shown.
2. Determine the polarities (B or R) of all the loops shown by writing the effect of a small
change in one of the variables as it propagates through the loop. If the feedback effect
reinforces the original change, it is a positive loop; if it opposes the original change, it is a
negative loop.” (Sterman, 2000, pp. 144). This rule is known as “The Right Way” to
determine loop polarities.
Finally.
3. (20 points) Develop your own “Limits to growth” by following the recommendations given
at pages 102-103 and practicing the use of link and loop polarities (+ or -) and (B or R) as
the previous cases.
References
Senge, P. M. (1990). Chapter 6 Nature's templates: identifying the patterns that control events The
Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organizations. NY: Doubleday/Currency.
Pp. 93-104.
Sterman, J. D. (2000). Business Dynamics: System Thinking and Modeling for a Complex World.
Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Pp. 144.