Approximating individual interactions in compartmental system dynamics models

Pj Lamberson ()

System Dynamics Review, 2018, vol. 34, issue 1-2, 284-326

Abstract: This paper introduces an approach known as a “pair approximation” developed in physics and mathematical biology that captures some of the effects of network structure in a compartmental system dynamics (CSD) model without substantially increasing model complexity or computational efficiency. We describe the approach using a familiar example: the standard SIS model from epidemiology that underpins many models from the marketing and innovation diffusion literature. We show that the pair approximation better approximates the results of an agent‐based simulation than the standard CSD. The model provides insights regarding the epidemic threshold, with implications for halting the spread of a disease or encouraging the spread of a product, that cannot be obtained from the standard CSD. We further illustrate the technique through the development of two new CSD models: a model of social contagion, SIS2, that allows for “social recovery,” and a model of technology adoption with local network effects. Copyright © 2018 System Dynamics Society

Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1002/sdr.1599

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:sysdyn:v:34:y:2018:i:1-2:p:284-326

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... bs.asp?ref=0883-7066

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in System Dynamics Review from System Dynamics Society
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().