John Morecroft

Senior Fellow of Management Science and Operations

BSc (Bristol) MSc (London) PhD (MIT)

John Morecroft is a leading expert in strategic modelling and system dynamics and has written numerous journal articles. He has co-edited three books and published a widely used system dynamics textbook, Strategic Modelling and Business Dynamics (Wiley 2015, 2nd edition). He is a recipient of the Jay Wright Forrester Award of the System Dynamics Society for his work on bounded rationality, decision-making and information feedback in models of the firm. He is a Past President of the Society and one of its Founding Members.

He has led applied research projects for international organisations including Royal Dutch/Shell, AT&T, BBC World Service, Cummins Engine Company, Ford of Europe, Harley-Davidson, Ericsson, McKinsey & Co and Mars. Before joining London Business School he was on the faculty of MIT’s Sloan School of Management where he received his PhD. He also holds degrees in Operational Research from Imperial College, London and in Physics from Bristol University.

He has taught system dynamics, problem structuring and strategy in MBA, PhD and Executive Education programmes. He served as Associate Dean of the School’s Executive MBA and co-designed EMBA-Global, a dual degree programme with New York’s Columbia Business School.

Research interests
Publications

Strategic modelling and simulation
System dynamics
Feedback systems thinking
Dynamics of strategy
Strategy development
Coordination and performance in business and society.

2017

Enduring feedback structure and long-term futures for the upstream oil industry

Morecroft J

Systems Research and Behavioral Science 2017 Vol 34:4 p 494-509

2015

Strategic modelling and business dynamics: a feedback systems approach

Morecroft J

2nd ed. Wiley, 2015

2014

Explaining puzzling dynamics: a comparison of system dynamics and discrete-event simulation

Morecroft J; Robinson S

in Brailsford S, Churilov L and Dangerfield, B (eds). Discrete event simulation and system dynamics for management decision making, Wiley, 2014

2013

Modelling and simulating firm performance with system dynamics

Morecroft J

in: Beyond Alignment, eds. Gotze J and Jensen-Waud A, College Publications, 2013, pp 453-475

2012

Metaphorical models for limits to growth and industrialization

Morecroft J

Systems Research and Behavioral Science 2012 Vol 29:6 p 645-666

2010

Managerial decision-making and firm performance under a resource-based paradigm

Morecroft J; Kunc M

Strategic Management Journal 2010 Vol 31:11 p 1164-1180

2009

Resource coordination and firm performance: a system dynamics view

Morecroft J

in Strohhecker and Grossler, eds., Strategisches und operatives Produktionsmanagement (a Festschrift honouring Peter Miller), Gabler Research

Resource-based strategies and problem structuring: Using resource maps to manage resource systems

Kunc M H; Morecroft J D W

Journal of the Operational Research Society 2009 Vol 60:2 p 191-199

2008

System dynamics and strategy

Gary S M; Kunc M; Morecroft J D W; Rockart S F

System Dynamics Review 2008 Vol 24:4 p 407-429

2007

Gone fishing: a case study

Bryant J; Meadows M; Morecroft J; O'Brien F

in O'Brien F and Dyson R, eds., Supporting strategy: frameworks, methods and models, Wiley

Strategic modelling and business dynamics: a feedback systems view

Morecroft J D W

Wiley, 2007

System dynamics and strategic development

Kunc M; Morecroft J

in O'Brien F and Dyson R, eds., Supporting strategy: frameworks, methods and models, Wiley

2006

Competitive dynamics and gaming simulation. Lessons from a fishing industry simulator

Morecroft J D W

Journal of the Operational Research Society 2006 Vol 58:9 p 1146-1155

2004

Mental models and learning in systems dynamics practice

Morecroft J

in Pidd M, ed., Systems modelling: theory and practice: Wiley

Performance and learning in a simulation of oil industry dynamics

Langley P; Morecroft J

European Journal of Operational Research 2004 Vol 55:1 p 715-732

2002

Integrating systems thinking and competence concepts in a new view of resources, capabilities and management processes

Morecroft J D W; Sanchez R; Heene A

in Morecroft J D W, Sanchez R and Heene A eds., Systems perspectives on resources, capabilities and management processes, Elsevier Pergamon, 2002

Resource management under dynamic complexity

Morecroft J D W

in Morecroft J D W, Sanchez R and Heene A eds., Systems perspectives on resources, capabilities and management processes, Elsevier Pergamon, 2002

Systems perspectives on resource, capabilities and management processes

Morecroft J D W; Sanchez R; Heene A; eds.

Elsevier Pergamon, 2002

2000

Creativity and convergence in scenario modelling: personal reflections on world dynamics, global oil and infocoms

Morecroft J D W

in Habenicht and Waeschser eds., Festschrift in honour of Erich Zahn, Schaeffer-Poeschel-Verlag, 2000

1999

Complex behaviour in a production-distribution model

Morecroft J D W; Larsen E R; Thomsen J S

European Journal of Operational Research 1999 Vol 119:1 p 61-74

Guest editors' introduction

Morecroft J D W; Coyle G

Journal of the Operational Research Society 1999 Vol 50:4 p 294-294

Management attitudes, learning and scale in successful diversification: a dynamic and behavioural resource system view

Morecroft J D W

Journal of the Operational Research Society 1999 Vol 50:4 p 315-336

Oil producers microworld

Morecroft J D W; Langley P; Morecroft L

Global Strategy Dynamics, 1999

System dynamics for policy, strategy and management education

Coyle G; Morecroft J

Journal of the Operational Research Society 1999 Vol 50:4 1999

System dynamics in Europe today: a review of professional infrastructure and academic programmes

Morecroft J D W

Journal of the Operational Research Society 1999 Vol 50:4 p 302-304

System dynamics in MBA education at London Business School

Morecroft J D W

Journal of the Operational Research Society 1999 Vol 50:4 p 305-308

Visualising and rehearsing strategy

Morecroft J D W

Business Strategy Review 1999 Vol 10:3 p 17-32

1998

Managing metamorphosis

Morecroft J D W; Glucksman M

McKinsey Quarterly 1998 Vol 2 p 118-129

Wooing investors to prevent cyclicality

Morecroft J D W; et al.

McKinsey Quarterly 1998 Vol 1 p 166-172

1997

Cycle management in capital intensive industries

Morecroft J D W; Ninios P; Sabert H

in Proceedings of the 1997 International System Dynamics Conference, Istanbul, 1997

Exploring oil market dynamics

Morecroft J D W; Marsh B

in Bunn D W and Larsen E R eds., Systems modelling for energy policy, Wiley, 1997

Leapfrogging the competition: the dynamics of resource metamorphosis

Morecroft J D W; Glucksman M; Mollona E

in Proceedings of the 1997 International System Dynamics Conference, Istanbul, 1997

Rise and fall of People Express: a dynamic resource-based view

Morecroft J D W

in Proceedings of the 1997 International System Dynamics Conference, Istanbul, 1997

Systems thinking and the art of modeling

Morecroft J D W; van Ackere A

in Bickerstaffe G ed., Mastering management, p 147-155, Financial Times/Pitman, 1997

Weaving feedback systems thinking into the case method: an application to corporate strategy

Morecroft J D W; Ginsberg A

Management Learning 1997 Vol 28:4 p 455-473

1996