Why Can't We All Just Accommodate: A Soft Systems Methodology Application on Disagreeing Stakeholders

Houghton, Luke

doi:10.1002/sres.2136

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 32 publications

(57 reference statements)

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“…It is assumed that a facilitator/analyst will model the tensions in a way that reflects the group's intentions. However, as discussed elsewhere (see Houghton ), modelling disagreement can result in problems that may see certain actors ‘pushing’ their own perspective and railroading others. We do not have an immediate answer to this issue as such but for future research we would argue that addressing this is of paramount concern.…”

Section: Concept Shifting: a Proposed Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Methodology of Wicked Problem Exploration through Concept Shifting and Tension Point Analysis

Houghton

Tuffley

2013

Syst. Res.

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Synthesis is a creative and mysterious process in which a chaotic array of concepts, what might be called a mess, is cognitively 'engaged' with a problem domain to produce as many interpretations as can validly be derived for effective decision-making purposes. The benefits of engaging concepts into a mess are that it allows the problem to be viewed through multiple lenses simultaneously, which affords a holistic vantage point for richer problem interpretation. By deliberately shifting the underlying concept held by actors and provoking the movement of concepts, better interpretations might lead to more useful decision making. Although research has discussed the possibility of using synthesis through case studies, we argue that there is a need to formally develop methodologies in this area for the purpose of fostering and solving complex problems. To demonstrate this, we provide a speculative case study to illustrate how this approach may be usefully applied. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Keywords decision making; problem solving; problem structuring; wicked problems INTRODUCTION It is recognized that there is a need for more optimal synthesis (Barton and Haslett, 2007;Houghton and Metcalfe, 2010) and new conceptual approaches to wicked problems (Houghton and Ledington, 2004). The concept of a wicked problem (Ackoff, 1978) is a unique and troublesome one. Liebl (2002) notes that when trying to understand wicked problems one must accept that they are messy. We must adopt the 'moving target' metaphor. In dynamically changing environments, unstructured problems cannot simply be cleanly nailed down to a given set of alternatives or be reduced to a significant and easily managed cognitive model (Van Bueren et al., 2003). Instead, we must rely heavily on actors' conceptions and subjective interpretation of the problem to give it meaning (Landry, 1995). According to Leibl, a problem arises when the dynamic concepts used to form interpretative schema interact in an ill-structured or 'wicked' context with unpredictable consequences. In essence, (2005) somewhat aptly calls these problems wicked in the sense that they are seemingly impossible to interpret, much less act on effectively due to the difficulties of reaching a shared understanding on the meaning of the problem. A range of problem structuring methods have arisen as a response to this issue (Mingers and Rosenhead, 2004;Mingers, 2011;Shaw et al., 2006).More fundamental than constructed methodologies is the human instinct for creativity and ingenuity when trying to solve problems. De Bono (1970) highlights this as lateral thinking, a process by which we think sideways, perhaps in unorthodox ways about problems to gain new insights. This speaks to the idea of 'synthesis' as an alternative way of approach wicked problems. We ask, would there not be considerable benefit to have a softer, alternative approach when trying to solve 'messy' problems? That is, if we are to make traction in wicked problems, would not the analytical approaches of the past lead to s...

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Section: Concept Shifting: a Proposed Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Methodology of Wicked Problem Exploration through Concept Shifting and Tension Point Analysis

Houghton

Tuffley

2013

Syst. Res.

Self Cite

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“…That is to say, the team creating the map may not know if their new map is likely to be more (or less) useful than their previous map for supporting successful decisions. Thus, presumably collaborative approaches may lead to disagreement and conflict (Houghton, ).…”

Section: A More Systemic Directionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrative Propositional Analysis for developing capacity in an academic research institution by improving strategic planning

Wallis

2019

Syst Res Behav Sci

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Although current systems‐based methods of organization development provide some benefit to improving the ability of organizations to reach their goals, consultants are continually seeking to improve the way they may be used to support internal and external clients. This paper reports on an emerging systems‐based analytical method, “Integrative Propositional Analysis,” and its use for improving strategic plans leading to improvements in the capacity of an academic research institution. This preliminary report suggests a new structural perspective that may be useful for consultants and leaders interested in improving the usefulness of strategic plans for improving organizational effectiveness so that organizations may better fulfil their missions.

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“…In the early stages of applying system thinking, the root definitions are meant to provide how stakeholders look at π as a system. Root definition is also used to come up with a unified view of what stakeholders want to achieve (Houghton, 2013). In the case of this study, the use of root of definition is more conducted in producing views of relevant systems as opposed to the view leading the rich picture.…”

Section: Three Root Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do You See What I See? A Simulation Analysis of Order Bundling within a Transparent User Network in Geographic Space

Ambra

Caris

Macharis

2020

J of Business Logistics

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The Physical Internet (PI) concept presents a radical change with the aim to revert the unsustainable practices that are used for transporting goods. It identifies dedicated freight flows and transforms them into transparent open logistics networks which can be accessed by other users, such as shippers and carriers. In this paper, we test the universal network openness in which the users can tap into the PI network and place orders that will be assigned to the nearest available transport service and consequently delivered to the order sender. The objective of our paper is to investigate the impact of inserting extra service points into existing dedicated freight flows of a service‐driven company. We simulate different transparency levels and routings to new pickup locations and evaluate the impact in terms of altered lead times, covered distances, and fill rates. The novel aspects presented herein are (1) deliveries based on decentralized location detection of the nearest order sender, (2) dynamically changing speed parameters of agents within specific geographic clusters based on their geo‐locations in order to account for congestion levels, (3) more realistic routing strategies that consider the urban layout, and (4) transparent querying of nearest agents in space and time that meet specific conditions such as current ongoing processes, available capacity, and position. Finally, we identify the impact from a general/holistic perspective that emerges once extra orders are assigned to the service‐driven company's fleet.

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Why Can't We All Just Accommodate: A Soft Systems Methodology Application on Disagreeing Stakeholders

Cited by 11 publications

References 32 publications

Towards a Methodology of Wicked Problem Exploration through Concept Shifting and Tension Point Analysis

Towards a Methodology of Wicked Problem Exploration through Concept Shifting and Tension Point Analysis

Integrative Propositional Analysis for developing capacity in an academic research institution by improving strategic planning

Do You See What I See? A Simulation Analysis of Order Bundling within a Transparent User Network in Geographic Space

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