Innovation Simulator : Caveats and Limitations

The simulation developed for this site is only a model. As Barry Richmond, President of High Performance Systems, Inc. in Hanover, NH is fond of pointing out, all models are wrong. They are mere representations of reality whose authors and creators invariably get things wrong, but whose hearts are presumably in the right place, nevertheless. Still, the map is never the territory.

The Macroinnovation simulation is no exception. Building a model requires one to make arbitrary choices about things like what the impact of one variable will be on another, or in our case, making decisions about whether, say, Knowledge Claims produced by individuals are more, or less, valuable than those produced by communities. We fully expect that our model will evolve over time, and that the initial version will prove to be faulty or incomplete in more ways than one. If so, we'll just revise the model as many times as needed, and will improve its value along the way.

That being said, we are no less confident of the initial value of the model that we have created, in terms of its ability to clearly demonstrate the principles embodied in the Macroinnovation model. Knowledge-related behaviors in human social systems are materially influenced by knowledge-related policies in the same general areas. There's no getting around that. Policies drive rules, which, in turn, drive behaviors.

Moreover, knowledge-related polices that conflict with the emergent dynamics of knowledge-making behaviors in human social systems will inhibit innovation and are unsustainable. More importantly, knowledge-related policies that support or strengthen the same behaviors will enhance innovation. Whatever its imperfections may be, our model clearly demonstrates these principles to our satisfaction.


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Copyright © 2001 Macroinnovation Associates, LLCr

Structure and Dynamics
Assumptions
Caveats and Limitations
Glossary

  
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For more information about any of our services contact Mark W. McElroy at
(802) 436-2250, or by e-mail at
mmcelroy@vermontel.net
.


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