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The system lens12/27/2023 If we look at the same situation through the lens of another archetype, however, we can see some other potentially relevant issues. From this perspective, the boat buyback program can be seen as an appropriate role for the government as resource manager. The leverage in a “Tragedy of the Commons” structure is to have a single governing authority manage the commons. The irony of the situation is that despite the devastation in the long term, it is in no individual’s interest to stop fishing in the short term. However, the combined total of their efforts will eventually hurt everyone, as fish stocks become depleted. The incentive is for each individual fisherman to catch as many fish as possible. A large number of players are competing for a single resource. The overfishing problem has all the classic features of a “Tragedy of the Commons” archetype (see “Too Many Boats on the Horizon,” September 1994). government launched a pilot program to buy boats back from fishermen. In order to address the dangers of overfishing and eventual depletion of certain species, the U. Boat Buyback Dilemmaįor example, consider the problem of fish depletion in coastal waters. This level of understanding allows us to go into a situation, identify potential storylines at work, explore their implications, and gain some initial understanding of the problem under study. Using the archetypes as lenses requires a basic understanding of the main lessons, key elements, and outcomes or high-leverage actions that are embodied in each archetype (see “Systems Archetypes at a Glance,” August 2011). It is not a question of which is “right,” but, rather, what different insight each archetype offers. If we look at a situation through the lens of the “Shifting the Burden” storyline, we will ask different questions and focus on different things than if we were using the “Tragedy of the Commons” archetype. In many ways, using an archetype is like putting on a pair of eyeglasses. Because we can easily fall into this trap, having tools such as the archetypes to help us look at broader systemic issues can be helpful for expanding our perspective. We don’t believe what we see as much as we see what we believe. Or, if I think that individual error is responsible for overstocking, I will focus on finding individuals to blame rather than look for any larger systemic forces that may be at work. Use the questions in “Trying on Different Eyeglasses” to gain different insights into a problem.įor example, if I think the 100 cases of inventory are a result of poor production scheduling, I will tend to find evidence to support that view. On the other hand, if we ask why we have 100 cases, our opinions will likely be very different and may be colored by our personal beliefs. If, for example, there are 100 cases of beer in inventory, you and I can count them and both agree on that number. Many of us at one time or another have said “I’ll believe it when I see it,” suggesting that we have more faith in things that we can see and touch. In this article, we will focus on using archetypes as lenses for gaining different perspectives on an issue. We can actually talk about using the archetypes in three different ways:īy distinguishing between these different types of use, we can focus on increasing our capability in any one of the three ways, rather than being frustrated by trying to do everything at once. It all seems so simple when you read about it why is it so difficult to actually do?Īpplying archetypes such as “Shifting the Burden,” “Fixes That Fail,” and “Limits to Growth” to a specific problem can be a confusing and difficult process, especially if you believe there is one “right” way to use them. But, after an hour of trying to match the problem to a particular archetype and drawing diagrams that quickly look like spaghetti, you give up in despair. You gather together some co-workers, round up some flipchart paper and markers, and sit down to work. So, you’ve chosen a problem you want to study using systems thinking tools.
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