Group Model‐Building to Support Public Policy: Addressing a Conflicted Situation in a Problem Neighbourhood

Abstract

This paper evaluates a group model‐building project concerning safety in a city neighbourhood. Stakeholders such as inhabitants, housing association managers, and police were directly involved in constructing a system dynamics model of their situation and defining actions to improve safety. Evaluation studies of group model‐building typically assume that participants in modelling sessions share their insights, and in turn, the information exchanged changes their opinions. The modelling project addressed in this paper concerns a messy problem in a public multi‐organizational setting, a situation characterized by ambiguity and conflict. We show that modelling in an ambiguous and conflicted situation helps participants to exchange information and change their opinions on the issue, even when not all conflicts are openly discussed. Group model‐building positively impacts the quality of conclusions reached. The paper ends with a discussion of limitations and areas for future research. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Modeling and Simulation as Boundary Objects to Facilitate Interdisciplinary Research

“…Group Model Building is an approach involves systems modellers working with a group of experts and other stakeholders in face-to-face sessions to develop a system view of a specific problem (Richardson and Andersen, 1995;Vennix, 1996;Rouwette et al, 2016). GMB has its origins in the well-established field of group decision support in the field of operations management (Desanctis and Gallupe, 1987;Schuman and Rohrbaugh, 1991;Ackermann and Eden, 1994), as well as systems thinking (Ackermann and Eden, 1994;Zagonel, 2002).…”

A System Dynamics Model of Resistance to Organizational Change: The Role of Participatory Strategies

“…Only the causal relations all participants agreed upon were taken up in the causal loop diagram in order to build confidence in it (Van Nistelrooij et al ., ). In this way, this research project also provided a shared learning environment to the participants (Rouwette et al ., ). In the beginning of the study, participants had individual perceptions of resistance to change.…”

Special issue on problem structuring research and practice

“…Although this challenge is not new (e.g. Ackermann, Franco, Gallupe, & Parent, 2005;Eden & Ackermann, 2013;Franco, 2009;Rouwette, Bleijenbergh, & Vennix, 2014;Taket & White, 2000;White & Bourne, 2006), we contend that more work in this area remains an important priority for the problem structuring community.…”