Articulating Developmental Problems for Policy Intervention: A System Dynamics Modeling Approach

Developmental problems are invariably perceived as dysfunctional existing conditions that must be changed. This often removes a policy from the factors that created a problem in the first instance. Problem articulation for policy intervention as practiced in system dynamics modeling requires, on the other hand, that a problem is viewed as an internal behavioral tendency found in a system so its causes can be determined before a corrective action is initiated, which is presented in this article as an effective way to define developmental problems. To articulate a problem, a pattern representing the problem history, called a reference mode, must be constructed before developing a model that serves as a laboratory to understand the problem and create a policy design for system change. A reference mode is, however, different from a precise time history in that it represents a pattern incorporating only a slice of the history. It requires several learning cycles to construct a reference mode from time history. A learning process based on a well-known model of experiential learning is used to describe the construction of a reference mode, which is illustrated at length by revisiting the illusive problem of food security.