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Revisiting world dynamics with realistic resource and technology assumptions | |
Author | Pham Huy Han |
Call Number | AIT Thesis no.IE-89-28 |
Subject(s) | Natural resources |
Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science |
Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
Abstract | Natural resources play a critical role in the growth process of human society, but the present views on natural resources vary substantially. Two intensifying attempts to view the problem in a system framework are made by Forrester and by Saeed. The limitations of the world model "World Dynamics" by J.W. Forrester are fixed natural resources and absence of explicit treatment of technology. Forrester's model is bounded by initial value of natural resources and has technological advancement included implicitly, and so has a narrow resource use policy space, allowing limited policy experimentation on pollution control, although it has good impact space. A recent model of resource ecosystem suggested by K. Saeed tackles natural resource problem at a very aggregate level using open system approach, but does not explicitly treat variables dealt with in Forrester's model. Saeed's model has reasonable policy space but very little impact space. This thesis searches for pragmatic resource use policies by appropriately combining the World Dynamics model of Forrester with the Ecosystem model of Saeed, explicitly incorporating technological advancement, and experimenting using the heuristical protocol of the system dynamics method. The modeling principles of the neoclassical economic theory, the environmental movement and the open systems approach are examined, and their merits and limitations are discussed. With the revised model developed in this thesis an attempt is made to identify policies for maintaining a growth pattern leading to a sustainable equilibrium |
Year | 1989 |
Type | Thesis |
School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
Department | Department of Industrial Systems Engineering (DISE) |
Academic Program/FoS | Industrial Engineering (IE) |
Chairperson(s) | Saeed, Khalid; |
Examination Committee(s) | Lukens, J.E.;Fujiwara, Okitsugu; |
Scholarship Donor(s) | Japanese Government; |
Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1989 |