We used the systems thinking approach and applied it to a live-business problem, and were surprised with the simulated results. Problem solution can be extended to any problem with known constraints - and hence quite generic in approach!

1. [email_address] For Slideshare Systems thinking approach to solve a problem

7. Desired State Figure 2: RRC at peak hour Figure 3: Competitor mess at peak hour* * Source: Group 1, Class of 2010, STA MS506

9. ~ 3 years IIT Madras Students 1 semester

10. Administration Food Competitors (The entire fish bone diagram will get repeated) Mess Administration Infrastructure Contracts Resource Allocation Feedback Registration Motivation Inventory Control Physical location Ventilation IT infrastructure Quality Quantity Variety Seeking Change Peer pressure Mess Popularity Aesthetics Students Extra Charges Influence

12. CCW Infrastructure Food Students Competitors RRC Mess contracts caters generate revenue/popularity assets services provides competition to equips registration mess allocation Attributes affect

17. Problem Simulation

18. Mess Enrolment Food Quality, Quantity, Variety Feedback/Ranking Peer pressure Influence due to Competitor’s performance Efficacy of Infrastructure + + - - + + - - - + +

19. S.No Variables(Xi) Name Explanation Xi(t=0) 1 X1 Mess Enrolment Number of students enrolling for RR Mess 0.2 2 X2 Food Quality, Quantity, Variety Quality, Quantity and Variety of food served in the mess 0.3 4 X4 Peer pressure The group dynamics among student groups on the choice of mess 0.8 3 X3 Influence due to competitor’s performance Effect of competitor’s performance on student enrolment 0.9 5 X5 Ranking Feedback/Rankings released on mess performance 0.3 6 X6 Efficacy of Infrastructure The infrastructure includes building, registration portal etc 0.2

20. Students enrolment to mess Food quality Peer pressure Influence due to competition Efficacy of infrastructure Ranking Students enrolment to mess 0 0.8 -0.5 -0.9 0.2 0.3 Food quality 0.2 0 0.2 -0.3 0 -0.1 Peer pressure 0 -0.2 0 0.7 0.3 -0.2 Influence due to competition -0.4 -0.5 0.6 0 0 -0.1 Efficacy of infrastructure 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ranking 0.7 0.6 -0.5 -0.5 0.2 0.1

22. Initial values Students enrolment Food quality Peer pressure Influence due to competition Efficacy of infrastructure Ranking Marketing Quality policies 0.2 Students enrolment 0 0.8 -0.5 -0.9 0.2 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.3 Food quality 0.2 0 0.2 -0.3 0 -0.1 0 0.7 0.8 Peer pressure 0 -0.2 0 0.7 0.3 -0.2 -0.6 -0.2 0.9 Influence due to competition -0.4 -0.5 0.6 0 0 -0.1 -0.7 -0.2 0.2 Efficacy of infrastructure 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 Ranking 0.7 0.6 -0.5 -0.5 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.2