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P. Pfaffenbichler:
"Modelling with Systems Dynamics as a Method to Bridge the Gap between Politics, Planning and Science? Lessons Learnt from the Development of the Land Use and Transport Model MARS";
Transport Reviews, Vol. 31 (2011), 2; 267 - 289.

Systems Dynamics (SD) was founded by John Forrester and colleagues in
the late 1950s at the MIT. SD offers qualitative and quantitative tools to analyse systems.
The major qualitative method is Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs). CLDs facilitate the
description, communication and discussion of any kind of system. CLDs allow statements
about the principal system behaviour, i.e. whether a state of dynamic equilibrium can be
reached or not. CLDs can form the basis for quantitative dynamic modelling. The major
quantitative SD principles are stocks and flows. Qualitative and quantitative methods
have been used to develop the dynamic land use and transport interaction model MARS
(Metropolitan Activity Relocation Simulator). Operational models exist in 14 European,
Asian and South American cities. Versions of Washington DC and Ho Chi Minh City are
under development. An interface called `flight simulator´ which allows to select policies
from a predefined set, run the model and calculate the effects of the selected policy accompanies
MARS. The flight simulator tool was used in workshops with politicians, planners
and researchers in Vietnam and Brazil. The aim of this paper is to discuss the potential of
an SD-based approach to bridge the gap between politics, planning and science.