INT XXX – Business Dynamics and System Modeling

Pard Teekasap (DBA Candidate, MM, BEng)

Lab 2: Problem Definition and Model

Conceptualization1
10 Points
Assigned: Oct 31, 2009; Due: Nov 7, 2009

⌦ denotes a question for which you must hand in an answer, a model, or a plot
denotes a fact that you will want to include in the model under discussion
☺ denotes a tip to help you build the model or answer the question

The design and evaluation of high-leverage policies demand a long-term, dynamic perspective.
The analyst or manager must be able to characterize the strategic problem, including its current
symptoms and history. The time horizon should be explicit and must be long enough to include
possible side effects, delayed responses to policies, and other feedbacks. This assignment
develops your ability to develop a reference mode that graphically characterizes patterns of
problem behavior over time in various situations. The assignment also develops your skill in
constructing causal loop diagrams that capture the feedback structure of the system, and your
ability to relate the structure in a causal map to the problem behavior in the reference mode.

Problem definition involves both textual and graphical statements of problematic behavior.
Conceptualization entails identifying feedback loops that are hypothesized to underlie observed
patterns of system behavior. Model formulation is the process of moving from a theory of
underlying structure to a fully specified mathematical model so that the theory can be tested. In
this assignment, the skills involved in problem definition and model conceptualization are treated
separately. Later assignments will bring these skills together with those of formulation and
analysis to focus on a variety of strategic and operational problems.

                                                            
1
Developed from Assignment 1: Problem Definition and Model Conceptualization for 15.871
Introduction to System Dynamics, Sloan School of Management, MIT by John Sterman

Lab 2: Problem Definition and Model Conceptualization 1

While your graphs and diagrams should be clear and legible, it is NOT necessary to create
professional quality graphics. DO NOT spend your time creating artist-quality presentation
graphics using fancy software. Use your time to think about the issues and develop your ideas.
Use software to create the diagrams ONLY if it will boost your productivity. A legible
handwritten diagram you had time to think about is preferable to a beautiful computer-generated
diagram that took so much time to render you didn’t have time to think deeply about its content.

A. Diagnosing the Causes of Policy Resistance (5 points)

The subprime mortgage crisis drives the whole global economy into a recession. Many big and
major banks and financial institutions that had AAA credit rating went bankrupt. Millions of
businesses were out of business. The unemployment in US reaches almost 10% and is expected
to keep increasing until 2011. There are many theories trying to explain the causes of this crisis.
However, one commonality of almost every theory is that it happens from the agents inside the
system. Does anyone inside the system make this crisis on purpose? Based on the belief that
everybody has a good faith on the system, the answer must be no. Everyone in the system tries to
make himself/herself happy as a first priority and other people as a second. However, why is this
money making strategies fail miserably, and, more importantly, what can be done?

A0. Watch the clip “The Credit of Crisis: Visualized” (http://crisisofcredit.com/), about how
the subprime mortgage crisis happen.

⌦ A1.Make a list of the most important variables or concepts characterizing the problem
described in the clip. Your list should be comprehensive but as short as possible (six or
fewer). Aggregate similar concepts where possible (e.g. if you thought that each
investors’ need is important, can you lump together the different type of need into
broader categories?).

⌦ A2.Drawing on the description and analysis in the clip, graph the behavior of the key
variables you identified in (1). First, identify the time horizon over which the dynamics
unfold. Do not be constrained by the current date or the range of data given in the story,
but select a time period long enough to capture the dynamics of the critical variables,
including their past development and enough of the future for the dynamics to play out.
Next, sketch a graph showing the behavior over the time horizon for each variable. If two
or more variables have the same units of measure, plot them on the same scales.
Qualitative patterns are more important than numerical precision in the early stages of
problem definition.

⌦ A3.Drawing on the clip and your analysis above, create a causal loop diagram that captures
the important feedback loops underlying the dynamics you described above. Your
diagram should include the loops you believe are essential to understanding and
explaining the dynamics, but should be simple enough to understand. Remember that
your client cannot understand a diagram that includes everything. Be sure to identify the
polarity of each link and loop. Make sure you capture both the loops that represent the

Lab 2: Problem Definition and Model Conceptualization 2

 money making part of the strategy, and the loops capture the unintended ‘side effects’ of
the strategy.

⌦ A4.Briefly describe how the loops you identify in your causal map create the behavior you
describe. In particular, use your diagram to explain the apparent paradox posed by the
fact that, while the mortgage strategy creating money for everyone, it creates the time
bomb waiting for a collapse.

☺ A good explanation captures the causal relationships (feedbacks) that generate the behaviors
in the reference mode. Your explanation should show how the loops interact to create the
reference mode.

⌦ A5.Use your diagram to suggest a policy that can prevent the crisis while still creating a good
return for investors. Explain why your strategy would help using your causal diagram.
What implementation issues do you see?

B. Using Feedback Structure to Analyze Policies (5 points)

Read and do the challenge “The Medigap Death Spiral” on p. 176. Answer questions 1 and 2 in
the challenge. For question 3, identify other examples of adverse selection, but you do not need
to map their feedback structure.

In developing your causal diagram for the medigap problem (question 1 in the challenge), you
will find it helpful to first develop reference modes for other important variables besides those
shown in Figure 5-29. To do so, follow these steps:

⌦ B1. Make a list of the most important variables or concepts characterizing the problem but
not shown in Figure 5-29. Your list should be comprehensive but as short as possible (six
or fewer). Aggregate similar concepts where possible (e.g., is it really necessary to
represent the different types of medigap insurance?). Remember that you are attempting
to communicate your ideas to a reader, not write “The Book of Lists.”

⌦ B2. Use the description in the challenge and your own knowledge to graph the behavior of
the key variables you identified in (a). First, identify the time horizon over which the
dynamics unfold. Do not be constrained by the dates shown in Figure 5-29, but select a
time period long enough to capture the dynamics of the critical variables, including their
past development and enough of the future for the dynamics to play out. Next, sketch a
graph showing the behavior for each variable over the time horizon you identified. If two
or more variables have the same units of measure, plot them on the same scale (for
example, show revenue and cost on the same graph so that the difference between them
(profit) can be easily seen). Qualitative patterns are more important than numerical
precision in the early stages of problem definition. Hand in your reference modes.

☺ To get your causal diagram started it may be useful to ask yourself “what is the insurers’
rationale for raising premiums?” That is, what is the intended rationality or intended outcome
of the decision to raise premiums? What problem is a rate increase supposed to solve?

Lab 2: Problem Definition and Model Conceptualization 3

 Represent that logic in your diagram (what type of loop usually represents attempts to solve a
problem?). Having represented the intended outcomes, you can then capture some of the
unintended effects of the decision. 4

Lab 2: Problem Definition and Model Conceptualization 4

General Hints:
☺ Before starting, be sure to do the assigned readings covering causal-loop diagrams.
☺ Your diagrams should include the loops essential to explaining the dynamics, but should be
simple enough to understand. Remember that your client will not understand a diagram that
includes everything.
☺ Each of your diagrams must fit comfortably and legibly on a single sheet of Letter paper.
☺ Be sure to follow the conventions and rules for causal diagrams and reference modes
described in chapters 4 and 5. These include the following:
Label the time horizon of graphs explicitly; provide units of measure and scales for the
variables.
Be sure to label the polarity of every link in your causal diagrams.
Identify the polarity of the important loops.
Give the important loops a meaningful name.
Use variables with a clear sense of direction.
☺ Operational thinking and dimensional consistency: wherever possible, formulate your causal
links so they capture operational realities—the basic definitions and physics—of the
processes you seek to represent. The units of measure for the variables should, where
possible, be obvious. In many cases, the equation for a key concept should be readily inferred
from the causal diagram and units. For example, in a model of a work process, a good
diagram of the determinants of the task completion rate would be:

Each variable has a clear sense of direction and obvious units of measure. From this
information a reader can infer the equation for the Task Completion Rate:
Task Completion Rate = Workers * Workweek * Productivity
(Tasks/week) (People) * (Hours/Week) * (Tasks/Hour/Person)
Such a formulation is greatly preferable to this less operational version, in which the
definitions and units for the variables are much less clear:

Lab 2: Problem Definition and Model Conceptualization 5