Group Model Building Research Articles

Using social–ecological inventory and group model building for resilience assessment to climate change in a network governance setting: a case study from Ikel watershed in Moldova

Climate change risks threaten social–ecological systems (SESs) across the globe. Efforts are increasingly focusing on reducing vulnerabilities of SES to climate change. Scientists and practitioners of resilience assessment have been developing frameworks to conduct integrated analyses of social–ecological systems. Such frameworks would ideally lead to a stronger commitment of various groups of stakeholders to act toward building the resilience of the system in focus. In this context, we explore and present in this paper how two sequential processes: social–ecological inventory (SEI) and group model building (GMB) have been employed to assess the resilience to climate change of Ikel watershed in the Republic of Moldova. The two processes come from two related fields: resilience and system dynamics. They have many things in common, but have not been combined much in the literature thus far. The methodology is being applied in two stages: for identifying vulnerabilities and for building the conceptual model. We find that SEI and GMB can be used together smoothly, adding value to both system dynamicists and resilience practitioners. We conclude that SEI is a valuable addition to GMB by enhancing stakeholder engagement for resilience building in a network governance setting. Similarly, employment of the GMB practice and vocabulary added value to resilience assessment by providing a conceptual dynamic feedback model. This conceptual model can be further built upon to develop a computer simulation model for testing of various policy options. The paper offers resilience practitioners an approach for participatory resilience assessment and the system dynamicists an approach for GMB practice in network governance settings.

Aging, Frailty and Complexity

The big problems in aging research are of increasing complexity due to multicausality of chronic diseases and the numerous interactions between the multiple mechanisms of aging. The frailty concept is a first simple step forward as an integrative concept that sums up the deficits over multiple domains. However, for further understanding of the empirical data on this multicausality and interactions in aging, we need more sophisticated tools developed in complexity science. Group model building, computational modeling and network analyses are examples of tools that can push the frontier of gerontologic and geriatric research into a new era of putting the pieces together discovered in the detailed omics studies.

Structuring a System Dynamics Model using Group Model Building: Case Study on Flight Test Human Resources

This paper presents a method that allows capture and organization of mental models of all levels of Stakeholders in order to elaborate a System Dynamics Model closer to the reality and more effective on Strategy proposition. This is done through information raised on the application of Group Model Building (GMB), and using PSM specific tools, like Mental Maps and Cognitive Maps. All these tools allow merge opinions and elicitate knowledge from many stakeholders involved on the process. In order to demonstrate the method’s suitability, it was applied on a Case Study to develop a System Dynamics Model for the Flight Test Specialized Human Resources Career Flow. The method has five stages: first, recognize the Messy Situation; second, identify process Stakeholders; third, conduct Workshops and interviews applying Cognitive Maps and, then, GMB; forth, build collective maps presenting a collective point of view for all parts; fifth, build a System Dynamics Model effective and recognizable for all involved Stakeholders, ready to be used as a tool to Strategy proposition to solve the Messy Situation. Flight Test Specialized Human Resources Case Study results show both the model’s effectiveness and stakeholder commitment, based on the proposed method, proving its adequacy.

Integrating complex systems science into road safety research and practice, Part 2: applying systems tools to the problem of increasing pedestrian death rates

ObjectivesTo provide a specific example of how systems dynamics tools can increase understanding of stakeholder ‘mental models’ and generate robust systems-based hypotheses about the escalating problem of rising pedestrian death...

Comparison: Group Model Building Workshops of Two SMEs from the Basque Industrial Sector

Group Model Building (GMB) is a methodology which involves a target group in the business of model formulation and conceptualization. It is crucial to obtain extended formal models and accelerate group decision support for future model building. In this paper the development of two GMB workshops for two Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) from the Basque Industrial Sector is presented. These workshops focused on one problem: the analysis of the commitment of workers to the organization. Each session in each company was of four-hour duration and involved eight workers and two facilitators. This article highlights the importance of involving decision-making agents from each company in the reflection and process of finding solutions for their problem. The results suggest that in spite of the inherent differences and distinct features of each company, both have important similarities when tackling the same problem. These similarities could be translated to a general pattern conceptual model, which could be simulated as a generic model in the future.

Investigating system-level drivers of obesity with adolescents: a group model-building exercise

BackgroundCapturing voices of young people on issues that affect them is crucial for developing effective, relevant public health policies. We report the use of group model building with young people to identify their views on drivers of adolescent obesity. This is the first stage of the Co-Create project, designed to develop—with adolescents—potential interventions to reduce obesity prevalence. MethodsCo-Create uses an innovative, participatory, multi-staged methodology, underpinned by a systems approach. We followed a group model building script to generate causal loop diagrams, with 16-18-year-olds from three UK schools (mean number of participants per school 14), of factors perceived to contribute to diet and physical activity and, therefore, obesity. Schools were recruited using a sampling frame to represent three quartiles from the index of multiple deprivation ranking of local authorities. FindingsAll causal loop diagrams showed that participants identified advertising, the low cost of and easy access to unhealthy food, social media, lack of physical activity, and stress, body image, and other mental health factors as drivers of diet and physical activity and, therefore, obesity. There were no notable differences in themes between the causal loop diagrams. InterpretationUse of group model building, a participatory systems methodology, captures obesity drivers pertinent to young people, the ways these drivers are intertwined, and potential leverage points for action. This process creates a helpful abstraction from individual behaviour by drawing out system-level, rather than individual, drivers of obesity, although findings are limited to the perceptions of participants and these results represent only urban environments. The results from this first stage of the Co-Create project help generate system-level hypotheses on policy responses to obesity that resonate with young people. In subsequent Co-Create workstreams, adolescents will be recruited to explore interventions to be discussed with policy makers and other stakeholders. The potential effects of the co-created, obesity-related interventions will be simulated using systems dynamics modelling. FundingEU Horizon 20/20 research and innovation programme for Sustainable Food Security (grant agreement 774210).

Compassion in the Clinical Context: Constrained, Distributed, and Adaptive.

BackgroundCompassion is intrinsically situated within particular contexts and how these contexts can shape compassion has not been well-described.ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to describe how individual and contextual challenges can impact compassion within critical care and palliative care settings.DesignThis qualitative study adopted phenomenology and autoethnography to inform data collection, and principles of activity theory and realist inquiry for data interpretation.ParticipantsFive clinicians who work in critical care (n = 3) and palliative care (n = 3) participated in the study.ApproachQualitative data were obtained from ethnographic observations, interviews, and focus groups. Participants observed and recorded field notes (n = 53) on instances of suffering and compassion in their workplace settings. At the end of the study period, they participated in a focus group or individual interview to reflect on their experiences. Data was analyzed using constructivist grounded theory techniques and iteratively synthesized through group discussion and model building.Key ResultsThe findings reflected four phenomena associated with compassion in context: individual gaps and lapses in compassion, relational challenges, contextual constraints on compassion, and distributed compassion. Individual gaps and lapses in compassion involved inattention, intention vs. perception, personal capacity, and personal toll. Relational challenges included receptivity, fragmentation, and lack of shared understanding. Contextual constraints consisted of situational pressures, the clinical environment, gaps in education, and organizational culture. The distribution of compassion within teams and how teams adapt their behaviors in response to perceived needs for greater compassion modulated these challenges.ConclusionsThe study illustrates the many ways in which compassion can be shaped by context and highlights the role of teamwork in identifying gaps and lapses in compassion and responding in a way that supports patients, families, and colleagues.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s11606-019-05467-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Using group model building to develop a causal loop mapping of the water-energy-food security nexus in Karawang Regency, Indonesia

This paper develops a qualitative causal model of a water, energy, and food (WEF) security nexus system to be used in analysing the interlinkages among those and other sectors that influence and are influenced by each other in a local context. Local stakeholder engagement through a group model building (GMB) approach was applied in Karawang Regency, Indonesia, to develop the model with the goals of improving problem understanding, raising consensus among participants, and building acceptance and commitment regarding the subsequent development of a quantitative nexus model. After recognizing the issues regarding water, energy and food sectors in the study area and eliciting opinions about nexus interactions, the next stage was to build a conceptual framework to describe the nexus system and to develop an integrated causal loop diagram (CLD) that describes critical system (inter-)linkages. The developed Karawang WEF security (K-WEFS) model is composed of six sub-models with water, energy and food sectors as endogenous factors. In addition, population, economic and ecosystem services were considered as exogenous drivers of the system. It is expected that all the major internal and external factors and drivers are covered, including possible feedback mechanisms, and key variables will be analysed further in the system. The future achievement of WEF security targets can be based on robust evaluation and planning processes underpinned by thorough understanding of whole system dynamics and the impacts of changes in the linked sectors, even in a qualitative way. In this way, a first step towards breaking silo thinking in regional planning may be attained.

Challenges and opportunities for scaling up upcycling businesses – The case of textile and wood upcycling businesses in the UK

Upcycling is a process in which used or waste products and materials are repaired, reused, repurposed, refurbished, upgraded and remanufactured in a creative way to add value to the compositional elements. It has been part of human life throughout history, and the past few years have seen its revival, driven by multiple factors including growing concern for the environment and resource scarcity. Upcycling increases quality and lifetimes of materials and products, reduces wastes, creates employment opportunities, and encourages sustainable consumer behaviour. Despite such benefits and increasing interest, upcycling is largely considered as a niche practice. One of the important gaps in the current state of knowledge on upcycling is a lack of systemic understanding about challenges and success factors relating to scaling up upcycling businesses. This paper aims to address this gap by employing a broad range of methods for reaching its goal, including literature review, stakeholder analysis, semi-structured interviews, group model building, development of causal loop diagrams, and a workshop with stakeholders and experts to validate causal loop diagrams and discuss promising interventions and how to proceed. The results identified potential actors for the success of upcycling businesses, key challenges and success factors, causal linkages among the challenges and success factors, key system mechanisms, and interventions for scaling up upcycling businesses. Collaboration across the upcycling value chain involving a wide range of actors is also discussed.

Design and methods of Shape Up Under 5: Integration of systems science and community-engaged research to prevent early childhood obesity.

Shape Up Under 5 (SUU5) was a two-year early childhood obesity prevention pilot study in Somerville, Massachusetts (2015–2017) designed to test a novel conceptual framework called Stakeholder-driven Community Diffusion. For whole-of-community interventions, this framework posits that diffusion of stakeholders’ knowledge about and engagement with childhood obesity prevention efforts through their social networks will improve the implementation of health-promoting policy and practice changes intended to reduce obesity risk. SUU5 used systems science methods (agent-based modeling, group model building, social network analysis) to design, facilitate, and evaluate the work of 16 multisector stakeholders (‘the Committee’). In this paper, we describe the design and methods of SUU5 using the conceptual framework: the approach to data collection, and methods and rationale for study inputs, activities and evaluation, which together may further our understanding of the hypothesized processes within Stakeholder-driven Community Diffusion. We also present a generalizable conceptual framework for addressing childhood obesity and similar complex public health issues through whole-of-community interventions.

Generating political commitment for ending malnutrition in all its forms: A system dynamics approach for strengthening nutrition actor networks.

Generating political commitment for ending all forms of malnutrition represents a key challenge for the global nutrition community. Without commitment, the policies, programs, and resources needed to improve nutrition are unlikely to be adopted, effectively implemented, nor sustained. One essential driver of commitment is nutrition actor network (NAN) effectiveness, the web of individuals and organizations operating within a given country who share a common interest in improving nutrition and who act collectively to do so. To inform new thinking and action towards strengthening NAN effectiveness, we use a systems dynamics theoretical approach and literature review to build initial causal loop diagrams (CLDs) of political commitment and NAN effectiveness and a qualitative group model building (GMB) method involving an expert workshop to strengthen model validity. First, a "nutrition commitment system" CLD demonstrates how five interrelated forms of commitment-rhetorical, institutional, operational, embedded, and system-wide-can dynamically reinforce or diminish one another over time. Second, we present CLDs demonstrating factors shaping NAN effectiveness organized into three categories: actor features, resources, and capacities; framing strategies, evidence, and norms; and institutional, political, and societal contexts. Together, these models generate hypotheses on how political commitment and NAN effectiveness could be strengthened in future and may provide potential starting points for country-specific conversations for doing so.

Enhancing Six Sigma methodology using simulation techniques

PurposeIn recent times, the idea of taking advantage of the benefits of simulation techniques and Six Sigma discipline altogether has led various organizations towards implementation of simulation tools within Six Sigma methodology. The purpose of this study is to provide a more comprehensive literature review on the topic exploring how this amalgamation could work both in theory and practice. This precisely entailed finding dependable studies that shows how Six Sigma (DMAIC) Methodology can be enhanced by the three prevalent simulation techniques; Agent-Based (AB), Discrete-Events (DE), System Dynamics (SD).Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review was considered more fitting in research because it involves rigorous and well-defined approach compared to other forms of literature review. In this case, the literature was comprehensive, well-encompassing and involved finding Six Sigma and Simulations literatures from reputable scholarly databases. The outcome of these reviews was the identification of a set of key finding compiled and classified by topics. The study follows an inductive approach and utilises a meta-synthesis review technique.FindingsAs numerous studies assert, simulation techniques including AB, DE and SD are applicable tools in almost every stage of DMAIC, especially the Analyse, Improve and Control phases, because of their capability to test and identify potential bottlenecks and improvement areas. Findings show that the simulation tools such as CLDs, Group Model Building, Dynamic Balance Scorecards and Cost of poor quality all have the potential to add value to a Six Sigma methodology.Originality/valueThe findings of this study highlight the importance of further inquiry in this area of study. The finding of this study suggests that although the study on the integration of Six Sigma and simulations is increasing, empirical evidence on its effectiveness is still limited. Therefore, this study suggests more roadmaps and investigations aimed at merging Six Sigma methodology and various simulation technique. Moreover, studies that centre on hybrid or multi-method simulations within Six Sigma are also urgently necessitated.

Community Needs Assessment among Latino Families in an Urban Public Housing Development

Studies examining the health of public housing residents are limited. In response, community-based participatory research principles were used to develop an intervention aimed at improving health outcomes related to multifactorial risk behaviors among Latino families living in a low-income neighborhood. A two-part needs assessment was completed to guide the intervention: interviews with parents ( n = 10) and a group model building (GMB) workshop with youth and parents ( n = 40) to explore the parent-youth dynamic. Interviews indicated that poverty, youth disobedience, and inadequate communication between parents and youth led to parental stress. During the workshop, balancing and reinforcing feedback loops involving Communication, Trust, and Respect between youth and parents were identified. Based on these findings and collaboration with a community advisory board, a bilingual, mindfulness-based meditation intervention was designed to address community needs: positive parent-child interaction emphasizing trust and communication, stress reduction, and family well-being.

System Dynamics Review and publications 1985–2017: analysis, synthesis and contributions

AbstractSystem Dynamics Review (SDR) is an important journal for the system dynamics field and its researchers. This article offers a systematic review of the system dynamics articles published in SDR and other related academic journals between 1985 and 2017. The study classifies the material by using a bibliometric analysis of 498 articles in SDR and 943 articles in other journals that are included in the Web of Science database. The results suggest that the most cited authors within SDR have published research in three broad areas: (i) model validity (confidence), tests, and other similar formal procedures; (ii) the modeling of dynamic problems of wide interest; and (iii) group model building. In other journals, an additional stream of system dynamics research proves to be highly influential. This stream focuses on better understanding and improving the process of dynamic decision making, addressing topics such as organizational learning and feedback misperceptions.© 2019 System Dynamics Society

Enhancing knowledge construction processes within multicriteria decision analysis: The Collaborative Value Modelling framework

This paper proposes a new Collaborative Value Modelling framework, that combines Delphi and multicriteria decision conferencing, to build widely informed evaluation models. Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) is commonly used to help decision-makers and other stakeholders in complex evaluation contexts. Further to the technical soundness and meaningfulness of the methods and tools used, it is critical to design adequate social processes to promote shared understanding around key evaluation issues while capturing multiple stakeholders’ values and perspectives. Multicriteria decision conferencing processes have been typically adopted for collaborative modelling using MCDA methods in decision conferences with relatively small groups. Such a socio-technical approach has proven to be effective, in a variety of contexts, in creating a collaborative environment that enables surfacing individual beliefs, identifying common concerns, managing eventual value conflicts and promoting agreement in group model building. But, extending this framework to broader participatory contexts requires a different design of the social process, in order to ensure that model building captures the full panoply of points of view. This challenge can be tackled by enhancing multicriteria decision conferencing with an all-embracing (Web-)Delphi participatory process. We depart from the existing collaborative knowledge acquisition methodology to design, with the Delphi method, a participatory knowledge construction process that elicits and analyses individual judgemental knowledge from a (very) large and diverse number of stakeholders. The knowledge acquired is then digested by a small group of key-players, in a subsequent decision conferencing, to collaboratively develop a widely informed multicriteria evaluation model. This new Web-Delphi-decision conferencing social setting has been tested already in real complex evaluation contexts using a specific multicriteria method, the Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique (MACBETH), to develop a variety of value modelling activities. We call this socio-technical design the Collaborative Value Modelling framework. Here, we describe its real use to support the construction of value functions, focusing on how the judgemental knowledge collected flows between the participatory and collaborative stages of the framework. Results validate that enhancing MACBETH decision conferencing with an ex ante Web-Delphi process fosters higher participation and collaboration in multicriteria modelling.

Dynamics of participation: System dynamics and participation—An empirical review

AbstractThe practice of participation has gained prominence in several disciplines recently. The present study discusses how participation meets system dynamics, a particular modelling method, which looks at complex systems from an endogenous viewpoint. System dynamics has always oriented itself towards practical problems and engaged with clients actively. This tradition is represented in contemporary participatory methods. We can underpin the involvement of stakeholders in a number of ways: with normative arguments (participation is a democratic right), substantive (involvement produces better knowledge), instrumental (participation improves the chance of success), and transformative ones (improvement of social capital). We discuss three schools of participatory system dynamics. First, group model building, a professional and practical method. Next, participatory system dynamics modelling, which is rooted in public policy decisions and aims to involve stakeholders actively. Finally, community‐based system dynamics aims for the empowerment of communities, with long‐term deep commitment on the part of the researcher.

Strengthening child inclusion in the classroom in rural schools of Pakistan and Afghanistan: What did we learn by testing the system dynamics protocol for community engagement?

Access to education has been the central tenet of the Millennium Development Goal 2, which focused strongly on increasing enrolment yet failed to promote education quality and equity and address contextual complexities that sustain exclusion. As a consequence, many children are not learning. There is growing recognition that effective, efficient and equitable education for all will not be achieved without better accountability. The present paper details innovative methods for strengthening the learning process through better social accountability. The paper defines and tests in rural schools of Afghanistan and Pakistan a community-based system dynamics protocol using participatory group model building (GMB) techniques. We tested the protocol with two groups of teachers and one group of children, with the three produced causal loop diagrams highlighting factors that influence learning in the classroom from the perspectives of the participants. The sessions showed interest, engagement, quick mastery of how GMB methods work and clear understanding of how the current classroom system hinders learning for many students. Researchers found that large autonomy and initiative could be left to the workshop participants, keeping the facilitator’s role to one of explaining the method and asking clarification about causal relations.

Modeling with Stakeholders for Transformative Change

Coherent responses to important problems such as climate change require involving a multitude of stakeholders in a transformative process leading to development of policy pathways. The process of coming to an agreement on policy pathways requires critical reflection on underlying system conceptualizations and commitment to building capacity in all stakeholders engaged in a social learning process. Simulation models can support such processes by providing a boundary object or negotiating artifact that allows stakeholders to deliberate through a multi-interpretable, consistent, transparent, and verifiable representation of reality. The challenge is how to structure the transdisciplinary process of involving stakeholders in simulation modeling and how to know when such a process can be labeled as transformative. There is a proliferation of approaches for this across disciplines, of which this article identifies Group Model Building, Companion Modeling, Challenge-and-Reconstruct Learning, and generic environmental modeling as the most prominent. This article systematically reviews relevant theories, terminology, principles, and methodologies across these four approaches to build a framework that can facilitate further learning. The article also provides a typology of approaches to modeling with stakeholders. It distinguishes transformative approaches that involve stakeholders from representative, instrumental and nominal forms. It is based on an extensive literature review, supported by twenty-three semi-structured interviews with participatory and non-participatory modelers. The article brings order into the abundance of conceptions of transformation, the role of simulation models in transformative change processes, the role of participation of stakeholders, and what type of approaches to modeling with stakeholders are befitting in the development of policy pathways.

Systems modelling as an approach for understanding and building consensus on non-communicable diseases (NCD) management in Cambodia

BackgroundThis paper aims to demonstrate how systems modeling methodology of Group Model Building (GMD) can be applied for exploring and reaching consensus on non-communicable disease (NCD) management. This exercise was undertaken as a first step for developing a quantitative simulation model for generating credible estimates to make an investment case for the prevention and management of NCDs.MethodsStakeholder engagement was facilitated through the use of a Group Model Building (GMB) approach. This approach combines various techniques in order to gain a whole system perspective.ResultsA conceptual qualitative model framework that connects prevention—via risk factors reduction—screening and treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was developed with stakeholders that draws on stakeholders personal experiences, beliefs, and perceptions through a moderated interactions to gain in-depth understanding of NCDs management.ConclusionManaging NCDs in Cambodia will require concerted effort to tackle NCD risk factors, identifying individuals with NCDs through screening and providing adequate and affordable consistent care to improve health and outcomes of NCDs.

Using System Dynamics to better understand quality management in the construction industry

System dynamics was applied to evaluate the use of quality management in the construction industry. Results were reached with the following: 1) a background study; 2) group model building; 3) a case study of a construction project; 4) a simulation model. The main objective of the study is to assist in minimising the total quality cost for a construction project with the holistic approach system dynamics offer. The model offers a unique contribution to the possibility to be adapted to other projects. It can then be used to minimise cost with suggested dynamic policies. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first to offer a system dynamics approach to evaluate the cost of quality in a construction project. The results give a link to the literature with a comparison between simulation outputs and Juran's (1988) graphical representation of the total cost of quality.