MIT Sloan Faculty - System Dynamics Group

Faculty

Jay Forrester

Email: jforestr@mit.edu
Germeshausen Professor Emeritus of Management
Senior Lecturer
Office E60-156
Tel 617-253-1571

A pioneer in early digital computer development and a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Jay Forrester invented random-access magnetic-core memory during the first wave of modern computers. He also pioneered the growing field of system dynamics. His research includes the System Dynamics National Model, which generates the major observed modes of economic behavior; a new type of dynamics-based management education; and system dynamics as a unifying theme in pre-college education. Forrester has received numerous awards for his books and nine honorary degrees from universities around the world. General Expertise Applied economics, corporate strategy and policy, entrepreneurship/new ventures, system dynamics.

John Sterman

Email: jsterman@mit.edu
Jay W. Forrester Professor of Management and Professor of Engineering Systems.
Director, MIT System Dynamics Group
Office E53-351
Tel: 617-253-1951
Web page http://web.mit.edu/jsterman/www

Sterman uses system dynamics-a framework for understanding complex situations-to examine how people approach complex decisions and discover why dysfunctional dynamics persist in organizations. Using management "flight simulators" that Sterman and his students have developed, managers can design effective policies to improve the long-term performance of their organizations. Recent applications include the semiconductor, automotive, and computer industries; and issues from growth strategy to process improvement and product development.

Executive Education courses:

Business Dynamics
System Dynamics for Senior Managers

General Expertise System dynamics, organizational behavior, nonlinear dynamics.

Nelson Repenning

Email: nelsonr@mit.edu
Associate Professor of Management
System Dynamics Group
Office E53-339
Tel 617-258-6889
Web page http://web.mit.edu/nelsonr/www

System dynamics and business process modeling are key areas of expertise for Nelson Repenning. His work focuses on understanding the factors that contribute to the successful implementation, execution, and design of business processes. Nelson's current research interests encompass organizational change, process improvement applied to product design, and the development of cross-disciplinary management theory. His work draws on a number of modeling methods including simulation, non-linear dynamics, and game and contract theory.

Executive Education courses:

Business Dynamics
System Dynamics for Senior Managers

General Expertise System dynamics, business process modeling

Anjali Sastry

Email: sastry@mit.edu
Assistant Professor
Management Science (MS)

An expert in organizational behavior, human resource management, and system dynamics, Anjali Sastry investigates organizational change from a variety of perspectives, including computer simulation, system dynamics, and feedback thinking. Her research spans imprinting in organizations, path dependence, punctuated change, organizational learning, and the pacing of change in organizations. Sastry's research has appeared in a variety of publications, including Administrative Science Quarterly, Energy Policy, Corporate Reputation Review, and Technology Review. General Expertise Organizational behavior, human resource management, system dynamics

Paulo Gonçalves

Email: paulog@mit.edu
Visiting Assistant Professor
MIT System Dynamics Group
Office: E53-339
Tel: (617) 253-3886

Paulo Gonçalves’ work focuses on understanding how managers react to supply chain disruptions, and the operational and strategic problems that ensue. Current research interests include the development of supply chain experiments for understanding and improving managerial decision making in logistic systems. His work combines a number of techniques such as simulation, optimization, econometrics and non-linear dynamics.