Wicked Problems and Gordian Knots: an Increased Risk of the Tsunami Effect in Modern Governance

Wojciech  Lamentowicz

Titles

Abstract

My purpose is to explain why it is so freąuent that policy makers both public and private fail in their efforts to solve problems. The main ąuestion is why educated and experienced persons cannot achieve their goals by reasonable decisions and actions. Among many causes and reasons (spontaneous changes of postmodern societies, limits to rationality of decision makers), I shall focus on two types of problems - wicked problems and Gordian Knots. The very characteristics of these types of problems arę conducive to Tsunami Effect, to complete incapability of designing strategies which arę efficient enough. Gordian knot is defined here as a wicked problem having some specific features and causes. Notions of Tsunami Effect and Gordian Knot arę regarded as an innovative contribution to the generał theory of strategy and the theory of decision making.

My purpose is to explain why it is so freąuent that policy makers both public and private fail in their efTorts to solve problems. The main ąuestion is why educated and experienced persons cannot achieve their goals by reasonable decisions and actions. Among many causes and reasons (spontaneous changes of postmodern societies, limits to rationality of decision makers), I shall focus on two types of problems - wicked problems and Gordian Knots. The very characteristics of these types of problems arę conducive to Tsunami Effect, to complete incapability of designing strategies which arę efficient enough. Gordian knot is defined here as a wicked problem having some specific features and causes. Notions of Tsunami Effect and Gordian Knot arę regarded as an innovative contribution to the generał theory of strategy and the theory of decision making.

Keywords

problem sohdng, hard cases in strategy making, wicked problems, Gordian Knots

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Information

Information: Public Administration Yearbook, 2017, 2017 (3), pp. 205 - 235

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/24497800RAP.17.013.7064

Article type: Original article

Titles:

Polish:

Wicked Problems and Gordian Knots: an Increased Risk of the Tsunami Effect in Modern Governance

English:

Wicked Problems and Gordian Knots: an Increased Risk of the Tsunami Effect in Modern Governance

Authors

Wojciech Lamentowicz

Katedra Teorii i Filozofii Prawa Wyższej Szkoły Administracji i Biznesu w Gdyni

Published at: 16.10.2017

Article status: Open

Licence: None

Percentage share of authors:

Wojciech Lamentowicz (Author) - 100%

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Publication languages:

English

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