A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems
Most social problems are “wicked”, meaning that they are highly complex, intractable, open-ended, and multi-dimensional. In wicked learning environments, information is ambiguous, feedback may be slow, or causes and effects are difficult to ascertain. Using the insights from the Bloomington school o...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Administrative Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/1/22 |
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| author | Jordan K. Lofthouse Leah Kral |
| author_facet | Jordan K. Lofthouse Leah Kral |
| author_sort | Jordan K. Lofthouse |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most social problems are “wicked”, meaning that they are highly complex, intractable, open-ended, and multi-dimensional. In wicked learning environments, information is ambiguous, feedback may be slow, or causes and effects are difficult to ascertain. Using the insights from the Bloomington school of political economy, this paper argues that a polycentric approach is the most effective way to address wicked social problems. Polycentric systems are characterized by multiple, overlapping decision-making centers that have varying degrees of independence and interdependence. When decision-makers in governments, markets, and civil society tackle complex social problems simultaneously, various forms of cooperation and contestation emerge. These interactions subsequently produce the relevant knowledge and incentives to address wicked social problems on a variety of margins. Centralized, one-size-fits-all approaches are less likely to succeed because they have weaker epistemic and incentive-related qualities. We use two examples to illustrate our argument, including post-disaster recovery and climate change mitigation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3ec1eb1e7b7a4444affea2d1fc8fee6b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3387 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Administrative Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-3ec1eb1e7b7a4444affea2d1fc8fee6b2025-01-24T13:15:21ZengMDPI AGAdministrative Sciences2076-33872025-01-011512210.3390/admsci15010022A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social ProblemsJordan K. Lofthouse0Leah Kral1Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22201, USAMercatus Center at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22201, USAMost social problems are “wicked”, meaning that they are highly complex, intractable, open-ended, and multi-dimensional. In wicked learning environments, information is ambiguous, feedback may be slow, or causes and effects are difficult to ascertain. Using the insights from the Bloomington school of political economy, this paper argues that a polycentric approach is the most effective way to address wicked social problems. Polycentric systems are characterized by multiple, overlapping decision-making centers that have varying degrees of independence and interdependence. When decision-makers in governments, markets, and civil society tackle complex social problems simultaneously, various forms of cooperation and contestation emerge. These interactions subsequently produce the relevant knowledge and incentives to address wicked social problems on a variety of margins. Centralized, one-size-fits-all approaches are less likely to succeed because they have weaker epistemic and incentive-related qualities. We use two examples to illustrate our argument, including post-disaster recovery and climate change mitigation.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/1/22polycentricityinstitutional analysisinstitutionswicked problemslearningadaptation |
| spellingShingle | Jordan K. Lofthouse Leah Kral A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems Administrative Sciences polycentricity institutional analysis institutions wicked problems learning adaptation |
| title | A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems |
| title_full | A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems |
| title_fullStr | A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems |
| title_short | A Polycentric Approach for Addressing Wicked Social Problems |
| title_sort | polycentric approach for addressing wicked social problems |
| topic | polycentricity institutional analysis institutions wicked problems learning adaptation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/15/1/22 |
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