Dynamic Modeling of Business Strategies

This paper models the flow of innovations in fundraising practices among institutions of higher education. The value of undertaking a consensus modeling process as a foundation for the building of analytical models is demonstrated. Five reasons why modeling can add to knowledge and understanding of complex systems are suggested, and « ten commandements » crucial to the process of dynamic modeling are outlined. The modeling of the flow of innovations in fundraising practices is described in some detail, and statistically-derived parameters are extracted and analyzed. The primary aim of the paper is to demonstrate how modeling can be employed as an invaluable process that can lead researchers to a deeper understanding of the behavior of a complex system.

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