Based on a dialogue on the System Dynamics e-mail list regarding the current level of acceptance after it has been promoted for over 40 years I dredged up the following set of influences as a thought exercise. This is an example of a drifting goals structure.
Given that there is some Actual Acceptance of SD, which
is perceived to be somewhat less than the Desired, or Expected,
Acceptance of SD, the two should interact to produce an Acceptance
Gap. This Acceptance Gap should influence two results.
First, it should add to and increase Actions to Solve Real
Problems, the kind that would add to an increased Understanding
of the Value of SD. This increased Understanding of the
Value of SD should then add to the Actual Acceptance of
SD, thus serving to decrease the Acceptance Gap.
Second, the Acceptance Gap would seem to influence SD practitioners
to have some doubts, or raise Questions About SD Viability.
These Questions About SD Viability should then tend to
produce More Internal SD Community Focus attempting to
strengthen the position and foundations of SD. Then, because there
is More Internal SD Community Focus there is less focus
on the Desired Acceptance of SD. And, what makes this situation
even worse is that with energies being focused on More Internal
SD Community Focus there is even less effort spent on Actions
to Solve Real Problems that would add to the Understanding
of Value of SD.
What we end up with is not only a drifting goals
structure in terms of Desired SD Acceptance, but a situation
that is additionally hindered from attaining the desired result
by a viscous reinforcing loop which misdirects actions from what
would actually move the community in the direction of its goal.