System Dynamics and Decision-Making in the Context of Dynamically Complex Multi-Dimensional Societal Issues

Dynamically complex multi-dimensional societal issues are societal issues characterised by complex time evolutionary behaviour on multiple dimensions, and very often also by many uncertainties, multiple views and parties concerned, and different ethical aspects. It will be argued here that stand-alone system dynamics often needs to be complemented with other methodologies or disciplines –for example multiple criteria decision analysis and/or ethics– in order to support the selection of appropriate strategies when dealing with such issues. This paper looks at the combination of system dynamics, multiple criteria decision analysis and ethics to support strategy selection in case of such dynamically complex multi-dimensional societal issues, with special attention paid to the capacity of the multi-methodology to deal with multiple dimensions, multiple time scales, multiple parties and views, uncertainty and