REPLY SD Impact on National Government Policies (SD6175)

[System Dynamics Mailing List]

Posted by  "Jim Hines" <Jim at ventanasystems.com>

>>>> A small field...if it is to succeed [must] publish 
>>>> collaboratively with people from other fields...

I think Jack is encouraging us to do good work.  But to avoid possible
misinterpretation:

1)  We must have grown much faster than 10-20% in the more distant past.
The growth rate over the past 50 years is around 15%, even if we only count
members of the Society today.

2)  The growth rate was much higher when people in SD were publishing
fearlessly independent views.
 
3)  The last fifteen years or so has seens a large relative and absolute
increase in writing designed to appeal to other fields -- particularly other
academic fields.  This period corresponds to the slow-down in growth that
Jack writes about.

Conclusion:  While there's no harm in writing in ways that appeal to
different viewpoints, there's also no reason to discourage people from
writing from a fearlessly SD viewpoint.  Personally, I'd like to see more
writing that is powerful and new enough to stir up controversy.

Jim Hines
Posted by  "Jim Hines" <Jim at ventanasystems.com>
posting date  Wed, 10 Jan 2007 13:02:49 -0500