The rediscovery of industrial dynamics: the contribution of system dynamics to supply chain management in a dynamic and fragmented world

The field of supply chain management (SCM) almost started with the publication of Forrester's Industrial Dynamics, but it seems that the relevance of this seminal publication for the field of system dynamics has never been so relevant for the field of SCM than today. In this introduction to the special issue of the System Dynamics Review on the Dynamics of Supply Chains and Networks, the authors make this statement on the basis of the articles that have found their way into this special issue, and on a brief review of SCM practice and theory for the past four decades. They explain why this recent and late rediscovery of industrial dynamics is understandable, and also point at sensible and likely areas of further cross‐fertilization of system dynamics and SCM. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.