Environmental Systems
Modelling Assignment: City Development (Human Geography)
A modelling assignment for a regional development strategy challenges your first days in the new job.
Software and data you need for this modelling assignment:
Software and data you need for this modelling assignment:
- Vensim
- Whatever you want to use in addition.
Tasks
It is your first week on the job as a consultant. Your company has been hired by Hindafing's City Hall. This will be your first assignment.
Luckily, you are not alone but you work with two other persons, which have also been hired recently. Form a team and stay within that team until the end of the consultant task.
The information you got from your superior senior consultant is the following:
Your task is to develop a simple (because simple is easy to sell) presentation showing how the "eco-fee" affects private and public transport. The presentation should contain a graphical model representation (in terms of a stock and flow diagram) and some simulation results of this model which make your case.
Please keep in mind, that Hindafing does not only want to reduce private transport but also increase their revenue.
Among others, the following simplification is allowed: You can assume, that the majority of drivers in Hindafing buy their gasoline at local petrol stations (because of the remoteness of the town). Hence, the local eco-fee can hardly be avoided. You can additionally consider that the average commuting distance per day is 50 km.
Luckily, you are not alone but you work with two other persons, which have also been hired recently. Form a team and stay within that team until the end of the consultant task.
The information you got from your superior senior consultant is the following:
- The city government wants to reduce car traffic in the town. At the same time, it want's to increase its revenues (to finance an organic shopping center).
- Your company's strategy department has already figured out the solution: an "eco-fee" for Hindafing which charges each liter of consumed gasoline.
Your task is to develop a simple (because simple is easy to sell) presentation showing how the "eco-fee" affects private and public transport. The presentation should contain a graphical model representation (in terms of a stock and flow diagram) and some simulation results of this model which make your case.
Please keep in mind, that Hindafing does not only want to reduce private transport but also increase their revenue.
Among others, the following simplification is allowed: You can assume, that the majority of drivers in Hindafing buy their gasoline at local petrol stations (because of the remoteness of the town). Hence, the local eco-fee can hardly be avoided. You can additionally consider that the average commuting distance per day is 50 km.
Submission
Prepare the required presentation which in a software/format of your choice and upload the file in time via the exercises module of this course system. Upload the file as a team and include all your names in the presentation.
The submission deadline and the upload function can be found in the section Modelling Assignment: Development Strategy of the exercise module.
Review and grading
The assignment will be reviewed by the course supervisors. It will be further discussed in a plenum with your peers during the next session. Hence, please do not only upload the presentation but be prepared to say a few words.