I still remember the first time I encountered Business Dynamics by John D. Sterman. It was the central reference for our Systems Analysis course during my undergraduate years, the number one textbook. But we were never expected to read it cover to cover. Instead, certain chapters were assigned to us—selected to introduce key ideas without overwhelming us. Alongside it, we had other books that were simpler and smaller, such as The Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge and The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt. These helped us grasp systems thinking concepts in a more digestible way, while Business Dynamics provided the depth and rigor of System Dynamics modeling.
At that time, I treated it as just another reference, dipping into the required sections but never truly engaging with its full scope. I probably skimmed the first two chapters, enough to appreciate the depth but not enough to sink into it. And, in a way, I wasn’t supposed to. The real immersion came years later.
When I returned to research—applying System Dynamics in my work—I found myself reaching back to concepts I had barely scratched as an undergraduate. That’s when I actively sought out Business Dynamics again. This time, it wasn’t just a reference. It was a rabbit hole.
The Weight of a Book—Digitally and Physically
I first reacquainted myself with Business Dynamics in its digital form, the way we often do now—searching through PDFs, scrolling past diagrams, skimming sections for specific insights. But something felt missing. The weight of the book, its presence. It wasn’t until I found a physical copy in the National Library that I truly began reading it—really reading it—for the first time.
John Sterman himself once joked that the book is so heavy you could build muscles just by lifting it. And I felt that, quite literally, as I flipped through its pages in the library. But it wasn’t just its physical weight—it was the weight of its ideas.
Seeing the Whole: System Dynamics and the Corporate Maze
One of the things that struck me in those days at the library was how deeply interactive the book is—not just in the sense that it has exercises and challenges, but in the way it forces you to think dynamically. The early chapters introduce core System Dynamics structures—feedback loops, stock-and-flow models, causal relationships—that shift how you see problems. It’s not just about problem-solving; it’s about problem-framing.
This reminded me of my time working in a corporate environment, trying to make sense of its structure. The number of components, the forces pulling in different directions, the sheer complexity of relationships—I remember feeling completely lost at times. But the holistic perspective I had gained from systems thinking became my anchor. Instead of trying to untangle everything at once, I started seeing patterns. Feedback loops. Delays. Reinforcing structures. Suddenly, the chaos made more sense.
Why We Keep Coming Back to It
The strange thing is, even now, I haven’t “finished” Business Dynamics. And maybe that’s the point. It’s not a book you conquer; it’s one you build a relationship with. The more I work with System Dynamics—whether dealing with projects, teaching it in workshops, or simply using it as a lens to understand complexity—the more I find myself circling back to it. Not necessarily to read it in sequence, but to tap into its logic, its way of seeing the world.
Maybe the real lesson of Business Dynamics is the same one I experienced when shifting from the digital to the physical copy—sometimes, to really understand a system, you have to immerse yourself in it. You can’t just skim the loops; you have to get lost in them.
Image Caption: Business Dynamics Book – John D. Sterman – Iran National Library – Sep 2021