Author
Donella Meadows
6 key ideas, each explained in our own words.
Thinking in Systems
- IDEA 1
Stocks and flows
A system is made of stocks, like money in a bank, and flows that change them. Watch the flows to understand the stock.
- IDEA 2
Feedback loops
Balancing loops push a system toward stability; reinforcing loops amplify change in either direction.
- IDEA 3
Delays cause oscillation
When there's a lag between action and effect, people overreact and the system swings.
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