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System Dynamics and Organizational Learning

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Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science
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Glossary

Causal loops:

Causal loops (model) are visual maps that connect a group of variables with known or hypothesized cause and effect relationships. A causal loop can be open or closed. Causal loops can be used for complex problem solving/decision-making, consensus building, conflict resolution, priority setting, and group learning.

Delay:

Cause and effect relationships are often not close in time or space. The lapse time between a cause and its effect is called a systems delay or simply delay. Because some delays in physical, natural, and social systems are rather long, they mask the underlying or earlier causes when effects become evident. This provides confusion and unintended consequences, especially in social systems, such as economics, education, immigration, judicial systems.

Feedback:

In a cause and effect chain (system), feedback is a signal from the effect/s to cause/s as to its/their influence on downstream effect/s. Feedback can be information, decision, or action. For...

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Maani, K. (2018). System Dynamics and Organizational Learning. In: Meyers, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Complexity and Systems Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27737-5_543-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27737-5_543-2

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