Making Complex Network Analysis in System Dynamics

摘要

As urban models in system dynamics are extremely complex if an area is subdivided inmany dynamic and interacting areas, managing complexity of the urban networkinteractions is essential. A recently developed interregional model of The Netherlandsillustrates the implementation of the spatial dimension in urban dynamics. The modeldescribes 40 self-organizing urban areas and distribution of migrants, firms andcommuting between 40 regions simultaneously. Developments in regional labormarkets, housing markets and land-use can be explained by internal as well as byexternal regional conditions.The applied approach gives many opportunities to make large disaggregated models insystem dynamics. Spatial or sectional interactions (network models) can be modeledwhile model structures remain manageable. In general, as vector-based and matrixbasedcalculations can be implemented in system dynamics easily, many (existing)static models can be applied dynamically. Hence, the usefulness of system dynamics inmodeling complex systems broadly is enlarged.