Simulation modelling: the link between change management panaceas

Although change management panaceas have been widely discussed in the business and management literature for several decades, not many publications address the role of simulation modeling in supporting these panaceas. This paper investigates four management innovation and change programs: TQM (total quality management), JIT (just in time), BPR (business process re-engineering) and process innovation and discusses how simulation modeling could increase their effectiveness. These change management approaches are compared and contrasted and the applicability of simulation modeling to support the principles of these methods is investigated. It is argued that simulation could be viewed as a missing link between these approaches.