University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
Abstract
Background and Purpose: The complexity of the tourism system, as well as modelling in a frame of system dynamics, will be discussed in this paper. The phaenomenon of tourism, which possesses the typical properties of global and local organisations, will be presented as an open complex system with all its elements, and an optimal methodology to explain the relations among them. The approach we want to present is due to its transparency an excellent tool for searching systems solutions and serves also as a strategic decision-making assessment. We will present systems complexity and develop three models of a complex tourism system: the first one will present tourism as an open complex system with its elements, which operate inside of a tourism market area. The elements of this system present subsystems, which relations and interdependencies will be explained with two models: causal-loop diagram and a simulation model in frame of systems dynamics.
Design/methodology/approach: Systems methodology will be shown as the appropriate one, when we discuss complex systems challenges. For illustration, systems approach and systems methodology will be applied to tourism models. With building a qualitative causal-loop diagram we will describe the tourism system complexity in forms of system’s elements relations. Mutual influences among the elements will be presented with positive and negative loops, which forms circles of reinforcement and balance. This will help us to discuss the problem categorically. The final model will follow the causal-loop diagram. This will be a simulation model in a frame of system dynamics as an illustration of the discussed methodology.
Results: The methodology offers the solution of effective and holistic promotion of complex tourism system transformation, which has the potential to go beyond the myth of sustainable tourism and create significant shifts in the approach and acting of the participants (elements of the system) involved. Systems approach brings to tourism and the society, in general, broader dimensions of thinking, the awareness interdependency, interconnectivity, and responsibility for the behaviour of a system, which can be observed by feedback loops.
Conclusions: Findings about meaningfulness of systems thinking presented in the paper, are rarely presented to tourism society systemically and with the aim of designing sustainable complex tourism system. They show new approach, systems awareness and teaches thinking “out of the box”. Consequently, the sustainable behaviour is achieved: tourism supply and demand meet on responsible base and they connect to responsible stakeholders.Ozadje in namen: Namen članka je obravnava kompleksnega turističnega sistema kot tudi sistemsko modeliranje in modeliranje v okviru sistemske dinamike. Pojav turizma, ki poseduje tipične lastnosti globalnih in lokalnih organizacij bo predstavljen kot odprt kompleksni sistem z vsem svojimi elementi in preko optimalne metodologije za razlago odnosov med njimi. Zaradi svoje transparentnosti je pristop, ki ga želimo predstaviti odlično orodje pri iskanju sistemskih rešitev, hkrati pa služi kot pripomoček za strateško odločanje. Predstavili bomo sistemsko kompleksnost in razvili tri modele kompleksnega turističnega sistema: prvi model bo predstavil turizem kot odprt kompleksni turistični sistem z vsemi elementi, ki delujejo znotraj sistema turističnega trga. Elementi kompleksnega turističnega sistema predstavljajo podsisteme, katerih medsebojne odnose in medsebojne odvisnosti bomo pojasnili preko dveh modelov: vzročno-zančnega diagrama ter simulacijskega modela v okviru sistemske dinamike.
Oblikovanje/metodologija/pristop: Sistemska metodologija bo predstavljena kot metodologija primerna za obravnavo izzivov kompleksnih sistemov. Za ilustracijo bosta sistemski pristop in metodologija uporabljena pri turističnih modelih. Z gradnjo kvalitativnega vzročno-zančnega diagrama bomo opisali kompleksnost turističnega sistema v obliki odnosov med elementi sistema. Medsebojni učinki elementov prikazani s pozitivnimi in negativnimi povratnimi zankami, ki tvorijo kroge krepitve in regulacije. To nam bo pomagalo razpravljati o problemu kategorično. Končni model bo sledil vzročno- zančnemu. To bo simulacijski model v okviru sistemske dinamike kot ilustracija obravnavane metodologije.
Rezultati: Metodologija ponuja rešitev učinkovite in celostne promocije transformacije kompleksnega turističnega sistema, ki ima potencial preseči mit trajnostnega turizma in ustvariti preskok s pristopom in delovanjem vseh udeležencev (elementov sistema). Sistemski pristop prinaša turizmu in družbi na splošno, širše dimenzije razmišljanja, zavest o medsebojni odvisnosti, povezanosti in odgovornosti za obnašanje sistema, ki ga lahko opazujemo preko njegovih povratnih zank.
Zaključki: Spoznanja o vrednosti in uporabnosti sistemskega načina razmišljanja, ki ga predstavljamo v članku, so v turističnem okolju redko predstavljena celostno in z namenom prikaza oblikovanja kompleksnega turističnega sistema. Prikazujejo nov pristop, sistemsko zavest in učijo razmišljanje »izven škatle«. Posledično s tem dosežemo trajnostno obnašanje znotraj kompleksnega turističnega sistema: turistični trg se s svojimi elementi srečuje na osnovi sistemske odgovornosti in povezuje z odgovornimi deležniki znotraj sistema in v njegovem okolju
