All Papers

Published

Change Resistance as the Crux of the Environmental Sustainability Problem - 2010

This paper was published in the System Dynamics Review in January 2010. Here's the abstract:

Why, despite over 30 years of prodigious effort, has the human system failed to solve the environmental sustainability problem? Decomposing the problem into two sequential subproblems, (1) How to overcome change resistance and (2) How to achieve proper coupling, opens up a fresh line of attack.

A simulation model shows that in problems of this type the social forces favoring resistance will adapt to the forces favoring change. If change resistance is high this adaptation response either prevents proper coupling from ever being achieved or delays it for a long time. From this we conclude that systemic change resistance is the crux of the problem and must be solved first. An example of how this might be done is presented.

 

Unpublished

The Dueling Loops of the Political Powerplace - 2005

This paper was written in a paper style format due to its use of a simulation model. It was never met to be published in a peer reviewed journal. Instead, it was designed to be easily read by the non-specialist. Here's the abstract:

Most effort on solving the sustainability problem focuses on its technical side: the proper practices that must be followed to be sustainable. But surprisingly little effort addresses why most of society is so strenuously resisting adopting those practices, which is the change resistance or social side.

This paper presents an analysis of the social side of the problem using a simulation model. The model shows the main source of change resistance is a fundamental structure called the dueling loops of the political powerplace. This consists of a race to the bottom among politicians battling against a race to the top. Due to the inherent structural advantage of the race to the bottom it is the dominant loop most of the time, as it is now. As long as it remains dominant, resistance to living sustainably will remain high.

The analysis has, however, uncovered a tantalizing nugget of good news. There is a promising high leverage point in this structure that has never been tried. If problem solvers could unite and push there with the proper solution elements, it appears the social side of the problem would be solved in short order, and civilization could at last enter the Age of Transition to Sustainability.

 

Rejected - 1 will be resubmitted

Resolving the Economic Root Cause of the Environmental Sustainability Problem with Common Property Rights - 2011

This paper PDF was submitted to the Quarterly Journal of Economics and was rejected. That journal accepts very long papers, which is rare. Thus the paper will probably not be reworked and resubmitted to the same or other journals. The paper runs 16,000 words, which is over twice the length of most papers. Here's the abstract:

Solutions to the more difficult environmental sustainability problems have in general failed. We hypothesize the reason is solution policies have unknowingly addressed intermediate causes rather than root causes. This has resulted in intuitively appealing solutions which, no matter how well implemented, can lead only to modest or temporary success in most cases.

As an alternative, this paper presents an analysis method based on subproblem decomposition and root cause analysis. Three subproblems of the sustainability problem are identified. One is how to achieve proper coupling between the world’s economic system and the environment. A hypothesis for the root cause of this subproblem, called the economic root cause, is derived. The economic root cause appears to be high transaction costs for managing common property (open access natural resources and pollution sinks) sustainably.

To resolve this root cause a solution candidate, Common Property Rights, is presented. The candidate is the mirror image of the presently existing system of Private Property Rights. Because of strong symmetry and high shared infrastructure reuse it is proposed that Common Property Rights will enjoy the same high efficiency as Private Property Rights and is therefore a reasonably optimal solution for resolving the economic root cause.

 

Process Driven Problem Solving: A New Approach to Solving the Sustainability Problem - 2011

This paper PDF , coauthored by Jack Harich and Philip Bangerter, was submitted to the Solutions Journal and was rejected. Unknown to us, that journal accepts only solicited papers almost exclusively. Thus the paper will not be reworked and resubmitted. It does, however, contain a useful overview of what its title suggests. Here's the abstract:

Presently those working on difficult social problems are struggling. Their solutions routinely fail. Therefore rather than present yet another solution, this article presents an approach for finding solutions that are likely to succeed.

The approach consists of a process designed from scratch to solve difficult social problems. The process follows the principle that difficult problems can be solved only by resolving their root causes. We hypothesize the main reason present solutions are failing is they do not resolve root causes, so key process output is the main root causes of the problem, the high leverage points for resolving the root causes, and a collection of solution elements for pushing on the high leverage points.

Those working on difficult social problems are encouraged to consider adopting a process like the one presented here in order to begin process driven problem solving. This will allow them to switch from symptomatic solutions that usually fail to solutions that usually work because they resolve specific root causes.

 

Solving the Ecological Economics Problem - 2011 - Will be resubmitted

This paper PDF was submitted to Ecological Economics and was rejected. Some very helpful suggestions for improvement were given. The paper will be reworked and resubmitted. Ecological economics is a scientific field attempting to apply the principles of ecology and economics to the sustainability problem. The field contains sustainability luminaries like Herman Daly and Robert Costanza. Here's the abstract:

The central problem of ecological economics is how to properly couple the economy and its containing system, the biosphere, so the system as a whole is sustainable. Like the way a doctor first takes the time to correctly diagnose the cause of a patient’s illness before considering which treatment will be effective, this paper argues that solving the sustainability problem requires first determining its main root causes. This has not yet been done, which explains the pattern of decades of inability to solve the problem. Conventional solutions unknowingly address intermediate instead of root causes.

To correct this a comprehensive method of root cause analysis is presented, along with hypotheses for four root causes. These differ radically from conventional conclusions, as do the solution strategies required to resolve the root causes. Ecological economics thus faces the task of analytical reform. The field will remain in its pre-science stage until it adopts a foundational problem solving process capable of resolving the root causes of its central problem.

 

In progress

Accelerating the Evolution of Common Property Rights

This paper PDF , coauthored by Jack Harich, Lyndyl Greer, and Philip Bangerter, is about half done. Jack wrote the first draft. Lyndyl is taking the lead to give it a stronger property rights and literature foundation. Philip is tightening it up and will be adding an example of how a particular problem would be handled by the The Evolutionary Tree of Property Management Solutions, which is the main illustration. Here's the abstract:

The sustainability problem may be viewed as a case of institutional failure. There is no standard institution capable of sustainably managing the world’s common property, which is those natural resources people use (and too often abuse) in common. An illustration showing The Evolutionary Tree of Property Management Solutions is used to explain this failure. The paper argues that property management systems are historically evolving and that a new institution (called Common Property Rights) for managing common property sustainably is slowly spontaneously appearing. We conclude this evolution can be accelerated and would help greatly in solving the sustainability problem.

 

Comments

Note February 2012 - It's not easy getting papers published in peer reviewed journals if you're not a PhD. Jack is not. Neither is Philip or Lyndyl. Thus it's difficult or impossible to find qualified reviewers before submission. It's also difficult to write in the academic vein expected by editors. This explains why the three papers submitted in 2011 were all rejected.

If perhaps you can help us surmount these barriers, please contact us.