System Dynamic Modelling is Supporting the Urban Production Paradigm

Production in the direct proximity of residential areas causes conflicts. On the one hand, they are in competition with residential real estate development; on the other hand, hey are often viewed as undesirable by residents. However, manufacturing companies contribute significantly to the maintenance of prosperity. Cities are therefore called upon not to allow existing value-added structures to migrate. To this end, a correspondingly attractive framework must be created. At the same time, production companies are under increasing pressure in terms of sustainability and workforce development. To act in a more ecologically and socially responsible manner, manufacturing companies need to be further advanced. In addition to sustainability, companies must not only eliminate negative influences in the future but should also fulfil their local responsibility. Nevertheless, further development is surrounded by economic framework conditions. Therefore, the increase in value for the company in all dimensions of urban production must be presented from a sustainability perspective as well as from a human-factors perspective. By developing a long-term perspective, in which the holistic contribution of further development measures becomes visible, strategic goals can be addressed. In this article, we will look at how it is possible to combine a holistic approach with a long-term view. For this purpose, different modelling approaches are compared with each other to prioritize a suitable methodology. Since the development of a system dynamic model is costly and time-consuming, a procedural proposal is presented that supports small and medium-sized enterprises in the usability of system dynamic modelling in order to anchor urban production measures in strategic planning. The outlined procedure is intended to support an evaluation of urban production approaches regarding sustainability and environmental compatibility. The outlook will highlight what needs to take place to assess the applicability of the approach. In addition, it will be discussed how the approach can strategically support manufacturing companies in the transformation to near-urban, ecologically safe, and socially compatible production.