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Identifying strategic action in highly politicized contexts using agent-based qualitative system dynamics

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  • J H Powell

    (Bath University)

  • R G Coyle

    (Bath University)

Abstract

In the early phases of using system dynamics models to support strategic decision-making, the emphasis is on expressing information and physical flows. These aspects appropriately dominate those managed systems that can be thought of as being mechanistic. We suggest, however, that such an emphasis, to the exclusion of equally important system attributes such as power, leverage, influence and control, is inappropriate for a large class of problems involving agents and groups of agents in the system definition. Such politicized systems are ubiquitous, particularly in the strategic context, and in managing them it is necessary to take the political aspects of power into account at an early stage in the analysis. We present an approach to this class of problems, using a qualitative procedure based on influence diagrams. This method has been extensively and successfully used in consultancy to study the motivations and powers of agents and thereby produces naturally an output directed at action planning at the strategic level. While it is complementary to numerical system dynamics approaches, it is more successful in deriving components of strategic action directly from analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • J H Powell & R G Coyle, 2005. "Identifying strategic action in highly politicized contexts using agent-based qualitative system dynamics," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 56(7), pages 787-798, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jorsoc:v:56:y:2005:i:7:d:10.1057_palgrave.jors.2601869
    DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jors.2601869
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Herbert A. Simon, 1955. "A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 69(1), pages 99-118.
    2. Mills, Daniel Quinn & Friesen, Bruce, 1992. "The learning organization," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 146-156, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mingers, John, 2011. "Soft OR comes of age--but not everywhere!," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 729-741, December.
    2. Powell, J.H. & Mustafee, N. & Chen, A.S. & Hammond, M., 2016. "System-focused risk identification and assessment for disaster preparedness: Dynamic threat analysis," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 254(2), pages 550-564.
    3. Federico Cosenz & Guido Noto, 2016. "Applying System Dynamics Modelling to Strategic Management: A Literature Review," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(6), pages 703-741, November.
    4. N J Curtis & P J Dortmans & J Ciuk, 2006. "‘Doing the right problem’ versus ‘doing the problem right’: problem structuring within a Land Force environment," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 57(11), pages 1300-1312, November.
    5. J Swart & J H Powell, 2006. "Men and measures: capturing knowledge requirements in firms through qualitative system modelling," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 57(1), pages 10-21, January.
    6. J H Powell & N Mustafee, 2017. "Widening requirements capture with soft methods: an investigation of hybrid M&S studies in health care," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 68(10), pages 1211-1222, October.
    7. John Hamer Powell & Michael Hammond & Albert Chen & Navonil Mustafee, 2018. "Human Agency in Disaster Planning: A Systems Approach," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(7), pages 1422-1443, July.
    8. Mingers, John & White, Leroy, 2010. "A review of the recent contribution of systems thinking to operational research and management science," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 207(3), pages 1147-1161, December.
    9. Spanellis, Agnessa & MacBryde, Jillian & Dӧrfler, Viktor, 2021. "A dynamic model of knowledge management in innovative technology companies: A case from the energy sector," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 292(2), pages 784-797.

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