Introducing system dynamics to the BBC World Service: an insider perspective

The paper relates the story of the encounter between system dynamics modelling and the BBC World Service told from the perspective of a manager who was also championing the approach inside the World Service. The outcome provides interesting lessons and useful ideas on the contribution to organisational change that can and cannot be expected from a system dynamics project. The paper opens with a review of the published literature on the impact of system dynamics within organisations. The BBC World Service organisation and culture are then briefly described, with particular reference to potential fits and misfits with the system dynamics approach. The process of building a World Service model is described, both in terms of historical and technical stages. The project's impact on the organisation is reported, whether the impact arose by design or default. This appraisal covers the model building process, the analysis of simulations and finally the development of a microworld or gaming simulator. The paper concludes with comments on the merits of system dynamics to an organisation like the BBC World Service, pinning down the tangible and less tangible benefits delivered, and making suggestions to encourage acceptability of the approach.