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The vast accumulation of biological pathway data scattered in various sources presents challenges in the exchange and integration of these data. Major new standards for representation of pathway data and the ability to check inconsistency in pathways are inevitable for the development of a reliable pathway data repository. Within the context of biological pathways, the cell system ontology (CSO) had been developed as a general framework to model system dynamics and visualization of diverse biological pathways. CSO provides an excellent environment for modeling, visualizing, and simulating complex molecular mechanisms at different levels of details. This paper examines whether CSO addresses the integration capability of pathway data with system dynamics. We present a conversion tool for converting BioPAX to CSO. Transforming the data from BioPAX to CSO not only allows an analysis of the dynamic behaviors in molecular interactions but also allows the results to be stored for further biological investigations, which is not possible in BioPAX. The conversion is done using simple inference algorithms with the addition of view- and simulation-related properties. We demonstrate how CSO can be used to build a complete and consistent pathway repository and enhance the interoperability among applications.

The decisions on public health policies have great impact on our society and citizens. These decisions made by policy makers are typically driven by various types of continuously changing and interlinked determinants, such as economic, social, political, and technological factors. In this dynamic setting, it is not possible for one person, or even for a team, to understand the whole system, and all cause–effect relations. Therefore, there is a need for datadriven decision support tools.

Here, attention is turned to the potential of system dynamics modeling and innovation network orchestration for developing such tools. In the book chapter, it is shown how orchestration of a network and the use of system dynamics modeling (that makes visible the causes and effects of systemic challenges) come together in relation to developing an innovative data-driven decision support system for policy makers.

The 2030 UN Agenda provides a list of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Typically, SDGs are viewed as non-hierarchical, if not standalone, objectives. Our aim is to represent the structure of multilayered relationships among the SDGs, where possible assigning influence links in order to configure a systems thinking view. We develop a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) of the SDGs, which illuminates multiple linkages among these global targets and begins to address measurement issues in pursuing the Agenda. To close the system and further operationalize SDG interrelationships, we propose the addition of one further goal — population growth limits — using a system dynamics modeling analysis. Our main contribution supports the systems view that SDGs constitute a highly-interconnected network. While acknowledging that the articulation and initial efforts toward implementing the SDGs have themselves been major steps forward, we further posit that consideration of their systemic interconnectedness is indispensable for increasing the chances of achieving sustainability on planet Earth.

Goal-oriented measurement following the Goal/Question/Metric (GQM) approach is a well-defined and powerful tool in software management and decision-support. This chapter proposes the integration of GQM with a mature software process simulation approach, System Dynamics, in order to further enhance software managers' analytic, explorative, and decision-making capability. The proposed hybrid approach, which we denote “Dynamic GQM”, overcomes limitations that exist if applying GQM and system dynamics in isolation. It offers a new dimension of support to managers and decisionmakers by integrating traditional goal-oriented measurement and static modeling with the newly emerging paradigm of software process simulation and dynamic modeling. The hybrid approach is holistic by nature, i.e. it takes a global perspective on decision making in contrast to the local perspective advocated by traditional GQM. The proposed approach combines individual GQM plans into one consistent model and adds timedynamic behavior on top of it, thus offering a comprehensive view on what is actually happening in software projects.

Because the impact of subway construction on environment system becomes more and more serious, a “society-economy-environment” composite security index system of subway construction area environment was proposed. A SD model was built with Wuhan metro project as its background for simulation based on system dynamics theory. The method combined qualitative analysis with quantitative analysis and static evaluation and dynamic evaluation. The simulation realizes space-time evolution analysis of subway construction area environmental security system and can provide decision support for subway construction ecological safety management.

This paper establishes two simple vehicle models through formula derivation of the three degrees of freedoms model and application of Trucksim software respectively to study vehicle stability under crosswind. Some achievements have been made but several problems still exist; the biggest problem is the linearization of parameters when the simple vehicle model is established, despite providing a reference for any model. However as long as the characteristic parameters in the vehicle system are linearized properly, it has theoretical reference value for testing of vehicle stability.

The rapid development of the shipping industry in China has brought great economic benefits but at a great environmental cost; exhaust emissions originating from ships are increasing. Hence, the mitigation of ship exhaust emissions has become urgent. Atmospheric pollution from ship exhaust emissions must be considered not only at the scale of individual ships but regionally. This problem is addressed by establishing a system dynamics model to help mitigate regional ship exhaust emissions without restricting economic growth. Correlated factors are identified; then a causal loop diagram and a stock-and-flow diagram are proposed to describe the complicated interrelations among the correlated factors. Finally, the potential variation trends for exhaust emissions and economic benefits for Qingdao port under different scenarios were predicted. By comparing the simulation results, the effects of different emission reduction measures were analyzed, providing a reference for the promotion of the harmonious development of the regional environment and economy.

This paper mainly discusses about the Pricing Strategy WebSim, a web-based simulator using system dynamics methodology in decision making process of pricing strategies of voice telephony business. System dynamics methodology is one of the Operation Research (OR) discipline, whereby their conceptual modeling can then be converted into computing models using POWERSIM Studio 2005 software. A mathematical model simulating the growth of subscribers, revenue, traffics, cost and profit of voice telephony business has been made available for use via the Internet. The required input variables are provided by the user and results of multiple simulation runs can be viewed and compared via tables and graphs. The Powersim Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the Application Programmers Interface (API) for bridging the simulation model with the web application. By building a web application for system dynamics simulation model, cost saving is realized by buying a single license and deliver updated versions to multiple users.

Henry Mintzberg, one of the founders of the modern organization theory, has studied the most suitable coordination mechanisms and planning parameters for an organization, according to the organization context and basing on the deductive analysis. Some years later, Peter Senge author of The fifth discipline through the concept of the Learning Organization, has created the necessary conditions to establish an organization, which will have to be sustainable in time and will have to include the systemic approach in itself. But, during these time of globalization and continuous increasing complexity, how can an organization be planned in order to be competitive while keeping surviving in the future and be adapted to fast and continuous changes of its environment?

In this article, we want to set the standard for an ambitious research project, addressed to the development of an innovative dynamic model to support the organizing change design. We have chosen to use the System Dynamics methodology for analyzing and creating a model, whose goal is to develop the five disciplines defined by Senge regarding the creation of a Learning Organization, by activating some strategic levers, which have been pointed out by Mintzberg in one of his five organizing models. The article highlights its development through a real operating experience in one of the most change-sensitive Italian government control companies (Trenitalia).

The software industry develops rapidly without technology innovation (TI) in Jiangsu Province of China. Using the system dynamics (SD) method, this paper researched the causal relationship between TI's factors, and established the SD model. Then the model was tested and simulated. The results show that the simulation values tally with the actual values. Internal and external power factors of enterprises are positively related with TI. Then enterprises' scientific funds and the government's support are main power sources to promote TI.