Lecture 2: Wicked problems in & around agri-food

chains Wednesday September 21st, 2016 | Instructor: Prof. Domenico Dentoni

Recap from Lecture 1

Our approach: Changing the broader system where ag-food chains are embedded (Dentoni et al. 2012; Senge et al. 2015)

Dr. Anna BirneyForum for the Future, UK

Recap from Lecture 1

Focal company

or organizatio

n

Customers, customers of customers

Suppliers, suppliers of suppliers

Civil society organizations

Regulatory institutions

OBESITY

MAFIA & CORRUPTIO

N

LAND, WATER, ENERGY

SCARCITY

POVERTY

VIOLATION OF LABOR RIGHTS

POOR ACCESS TO

TECHNOLOGY

POOR ACCESS TO CREDIT

WASTE MANAGEMENT & POLLUTION

CRIME

Our approach: Changing the broader system where ag-food chains are embedded (Dentoni et al. 2012; Senge et al. 2015)

Recap from Lecture 1

From syllabus introduction:

This course focuses on understanding, explaining and activating processes of change in and around agri-food chains. This will provide you, as course participants, with a dynamic, process-based perspective to agri-food chain management. You will reflect and act upon the following questions:

How do companies or other organizations (governments, municipalities, non-government organizations, universities and start-ups) recognize and diagnose social, environmental and economic problems in or around agri-food chains and develop strategies to address them?

How can individuals, including you, support these organizations in recognizing, diagnosing and addressing problems through suitable strategies?

By providing recent theories and methods to tackle these questions, the course is inherently interdisciplinary and designed to integrate students’ diverse backgrounds and education with the collective problems - and the suitable strategies sought by stakeholders - that we are currently experiencing in local and global agri-food systems.

Recap from Lecture 1

From syllabus learning outcomes

By the end of the course, you will have:

Learning outcomes Learning methodsDeveloped understanding of major theories of change in agri-food

Lectures, readings

Practiced methods and approaches to explain change at multiple levels

Lectures, readings, tutorials

Developed competencies for participating to change processes in agri-food (creativity, systems thinking, problem solving, negotiating, teamwork, forward-thinking, others!)

Tutorials, group-work, presentations, role

plays, guest lectures, Facebook group

Today’s lecture + tutorial plan

PART I: Understandi

ng problems

PICK A PROBLEM THAT YOU WANT

TO ADDRESS

VISION: IMAGINE YOUR DESIRED FUTURE IN A

PERIOD BETWEEN 2020

and 2050

PART II: Social

innovation & entrepreneurs

hip

PART III: Building

partnerships

PART IV: Continuous learning &

change

I. Describe the nature of the

problem

This afternoon, let’s brainstorm on YOUR IDEAS AND INTERESTS

Today’s lecture + tutorial plan

Three tales of “wicked” problems in agri-food chains:

• Mafia in food & agriculture

• Deforestation, food insecurity, poverty & commodity markets

• Challenges in collective territorial & food branding

Theory:

• Three key features of “wicked” problems

• Implications for systemic change interventions

Tutorial: Let’s brainstorm about problem(s) that you want to

address Let’s build a realistic but ambitious vision to address this

problem(s)

Tale 1: Mafia in food and agricultureWatch this video and let’s try to answer three sets of questions:

Actors: What are ALL the actors mentioned? Do actors have SIMILAR or DIFFERENT goals? Who has

power and why?

Causes: What is exactly the problem? What is (are) the cause(s) of the problem? What are the barriers to solve this problem?

Changes over time: Has the problem changed over time? How has it changed?

Tale 1: Mafia in food and agriculture

Tale 1: Mafia in food and agriculture

Tale 1: Mafia in food and agricultureWatch this video and let’s try to answer three sets of questions:

Actors: What are all the actors mentioned? Do actors have similar or different GOALS? Who has

POWER and why?

Causes: What is exactly the problem? What is (are) the cause(s) of the problem? What are the barriers to solve this problem?

Changes over time: Has the problem changed over time? How has it changed?

Tale 1: Mafia problem

Cases:

Three features of the problems:

Mafia in agriculture

Unsustainability and

commodity markets

Challenges in collective branding

Have actors conflicting values?Has the problem many causes?Does the problem change over time?

Today’s lecture + tutorial plan

Three tales of “wicked” problems in agri-food chains:

• Mafia in food & agriculture

• Deforestation, food insecurity, poverty & commodity markets

• Challenges in collective territorial & food branding

Theory:

• Three key features of “wicked” problems

• Implications for systemic change interventions

Tutorial: Let’s brainstorm about problem(s) that you want to

address Let’s build a realistic but ambitious vision to address this

problem(s)

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity markets

…Which ingredients is Nutella made with?

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity markets

…Sustainable Palm Oil?

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity markets

To boycott...

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity markets

To boycott…

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity markets

…or not to boycott?

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity marketsLet’s try to answer three sets of questions:

Actors: What are all the actors mentioned? Do actors have similar or different GOALS? Who has

POWER and why?

Causes: What is exactly the problem? What is (are) the cause(s) of the problem? What are the barriers to solve this problem?

Changes over time: Has the problem changed over time? How has it changed?

Tale 2: Unsustainability & commodity markets

Cases:

Three features of the problems:

Mafia in agriculture

Unsustainability and

commodity markets

Challenges in collective branding

Have actors conflicting values?Has the problem many causes?Does the problem change over time?

Today’s lecture + tutorial plan

Three tales of “wicked” problems in agri-food chains:

• Mafia in food & agriculture

• Deforestation, food insecurity, poverty & commodity markets

• Challenges in collective territorial & food brandingTheory:

• Three key features of “wicked” problems

• Implications for systemic change interventions

Tutorial: Let’s brainstorm about problem(s) that you want to

address Let’s build a realistic but ambitious vision to address this

problem(s)

Tale 3: Challenges in collective branding

A plethora of initiatives to collectively support the “Marche

place brand”…

Tale 3: Challenges in collective branding

…Involving a large number of actors across multiple sectors

Tale 3: Challenges in collective branding

The University of Macerata played a key role as project partner, trainer

and facilitator...

Tale 3: Challenges in collective branding

…but, despite many cultural & natural resources, a number of

issues persist!

Lack of trust

?

Tale 3: Nature of the problem

Cases:

Three features of the problems:

Mafia in agriculture

Unsustainability and

commodity markets

Challenges in collective branding

Have actors conflicting values?Has the problem many causes?Does the problem change over time?

Today’s lecture + tutorial plan

Three tales of “wicked” problems in agri-food chains:

• Mafia in food & agriculture

• Deforestation, food insecurity, poverty & commodity markets

• Challenges in collective territorial & food branding

Theory:

• Three key features of “wicked” problems

• Implications for systemic change interventionsTutorial: Let’s brainstorm about problem(s) that you want to

address Let’s build a realistic but ambitious vision to address this

problem(s)

Wicked problems: Theory

Many economic, social and environmental problems have a “wicked nature”

Three features of wicked problems

Value conflict among multiple stakeholders involved in the problemKnowledge uncertainty: not even scientists agree on causes and effects of problemsDynamic complexity: problems change continuously yet always unpredictably

Three features of the problems:Have actors conflicting values?Has the problem many causes?Does the problem change over time?

(Rittel and Webber 1973, Batie 2008; Dentoni and Ross 2013)

Wicked problems: Theory

“There are a whole realm of social problems that cannot be treated with traditional linear, analytical approaches” (Rittel

and Webber 1973)

Analysis(e.g.. Porter’s

five forces strategic analysis)

Goal setting(e.g. choosing performance objectives)

Implementa

tion(e.g. logistics,

operations, etc.)

Performance assessment

(e.g. measuring

through indicators)

Long-term, linear

planning does not work!

Wicked problems: Criticisms

Common criticisms to this problem-based view to agri-food chain management:

1. “Analysis paralysis”2. “Business focuses on opportunities, NGOs/politics on

problems”!

Wicked problems: Implications

So, if problems are so messy… What should we do with them?

How can be make suitable plans?

Wicked problems: Implications

To make effective innovations in agri-food chains, YOU need to be aware of the problems and act accordingly:

1. There will always be losers from your interventions. Talking of “win-win-win solutions” is foolish! Instead, identify losers and seek reasonable outcomes for them too.

Three features of the problems:

Have actors conflicting values?(Value conflict)Has the problem

many causes?(Knowledge uncertainty)

Does the problem change over time?

(Dynamic complexity)

2. Be ready to unintended consequences of your interventions. Do not pretend you know everything and make no mistakes. Instead coordinate with the stakeholders to find how you can address the problem collaboratively. 3. Make yourself, your organization and your stakeholders ready to learn and adapt continuously and from multiple disciplines and multiple sources.

(Rittel and Webber 1973, Batie 2008; Dentoni and Ross 2013)

Wicked problems: Implications

To make effective innovations in agri-food chains, we need to be aware of the problems and act accordingly:

Today’s lecture + tutorial plan

Three tales of “wicked” problems in agri-food chains:

• Mafia in food & agriculture

• Deforestation, food insecurity, poverty & commodity markets

• Challenges in collective territorial & food branding

Theory:

• Three key features of “wicked” problems

• Implications for systemic change interventions

Tutorial: Let’s brainstorm about problem(s) that you want to

address Let’s build realistic but ambitious visions to address

this problem(s)

Tutorial

PART I: Understandi

ng problems

1. PICK A PROBLEM THAT

YOU WANT TO ADDRESS

2. VISION: IMAGINE YOUR

DESIRED FUTURE IN A PERIOD

BETWEEN 2020 and 2050

PART II: Social

innovation & entrepreneurs

hip

PART III: Building

partnerships

PART IV: Continuous learning &

change

The ideas that you produce in this tutorial

(or after that) are ideal to write the INTRODUCTION and PART I of your report

3. DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM

(and start thinking of its implications)

1. Picking a problem(s)

Let’s brainstorm in small groups about problem(s) that

you want to address!

Let’s start from here…(e.g. corruption, distrust,

uninnovative culture)

from here…(e.g. collective

branding)

…or from here (e.g. IT

solutions to combine food, tourism and education)

2. VisioningLet’s imagine a vision for 2020 or up

to 2050

An example?https://

www.zingtrain.com/content/why-and-how-visioning-works

3. Describe your problem(s)

Three features of the problems:

Have actors conflicting values?

Has the problem many causes?

Does the problem change over time?

We will work on suitable innovations to address your problem(s) and

make a systemic change in next lectures!