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Hello Ms. Bassi,
Could you recommend any introductory textbooks in this field? (With math included please). Do you know of any detailed explanations of the World3 model? What kind of background is needed to work in this field?
BTW, for any TOD'ers who might want to learn more about computer models in general, check my website: http://www.myphysicslab.com. Contains simple physics simulations, interactive and real-time, with full math explanations and source code.
Don't try to predict the future. Get ready for it.
There are many books that can be useful to learn System Dynamics. The one I would recommend is certainly Business Dynamics (John D. Sterman).
This is considered to be THE book by most practicioners and professors. It contains an extensive explanation of the foundations of the methodology, it is well written and easy to follow.
There is no specific indication on the background. System Dynamics (SD) is a methodology, not a science, therefore it can be applied to a variety of fields. At the University of Bergen, Norway, where a full 2 years Master degree is offered, there are students coming from all over the world and with all educational backgrounds: economics, engineering, psychology, environmental science, sociology, etc.
SD aims at representing the structure of the system analyzed: this can be a supply chain, our brain, the economy, oil production, etc.
ps. It's Mr. Bassi (I am Italian)