REPLY Please Capitalize System Dynamics (SD6340)

[SDMAIL John Gunkler]

Posted by  "John Gunkler" <jgunkler at sprintmail.com>

While I have no strong opinion about whether we should capitalize system
dynamics (System Dynamics), I feel obligated to point out one reason to do
so.  It has to do with marketing and, in particular, branding.
Kimberly-Clark spends money every year to insist that editors capitalize
Kleenex, as a brand name -- and justify it by the advantage they get from
calling attention to the fact that "not all tissues are alike, ours is
better."

We are not in quite the same position, but we are definitely (in my opinion)
in danger of being lost in the shuffle among such phrases as "systems
thinking," "systems science," "general systems theory," "systems analyst,"
"systems analysis," "system mechanics," "systems development," etc., etc.
The word "system" is everywhere these days, and everyone, at least in the
business world, wants us to know that they understand "systems" (not just
whatever method it is that they're flogging.)

I think it might be useful in calling more attention to our field, and
distinguishing ourselves from others, if we capitalized the name of our
discipline.  Whether that's enough reason to do so I leave it up to others
in this society to decide,


John
Posted by  "John Gunkler" <jgunkler at sprintmail.com>
posting date  Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:01:32 -0400