System dynamics is an important systems methodology for analysing the complexity of the world, and the system dynamics school is one of the most influential schools of complexity research. Systems thinking based on holism has become an important mode of thinking for human beings to explore the complex world. It has provided an important methodological foundation for system dynamics. Systems thinking aims at analysing the complex system structure and adopting intervention measures from the whole, interrelated and macroscopic perspectives. Since its establishment, system dynamics has been perfected in theory, method and tool, and has achieved great success in solving complex problems in the fields of society, management, economy, ecology and so on. As an important systems theory and systems management methodology, the generation and development process of system dynamics contains rich systems holistic thought which is based on constructivist view of system.
Firstly, the generation of system dynamics inherits the definition of system in general system theory. For example, Bertalanffy tried to form a common general law of different systems from the biological and human problems. The Cybernetics proposed by Wiener, especially the feedback concept plays a very important role in system dynamics. The combination of information and feedback becomes the key of system dynamics to deal with complex problems. Secondly, one of the most important contributions of system dynamics is that it has changed people's views on system definition and system concept. Different from the traditional concept of entity system, system dynamics holds that the system is constructivist. It means that a system is a collection of variables but not entities. This systematic view of constructivism is a view of the integration of the subject and the object. Thirdly, the systematic view of constructivism has an important connection with Holon, and it has a great methodological significance in the management of complex systems. For example, Checkland’s soft system methodology tried to overcome the shortcomings of hard system methods such as operations research, system analysis, system engineering, etc. In particular, he advocated the use of holon in management. The soft system methodology can supplement the methodology of system dynamics.