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Systems Thinking Case Study #2:
Dependency ... On Resources
Dependency ... On Resources
| WHY DO I GET THE NAGGING FEELING THAT WHILE I AM NOW RIDING ON A WAVE OF SUCCESS, THAT THIS RIDE IS NOT FOR LONG? (Inspiration from Botswana - A G-to-G project where Systems Thinking was used) |
Dialogue Notes:
Case #1: We have diamonds ... again! "Thank goodness! Now we can continue to support our
development funds, our rising health costs, fund subsidies even though most of our citizens are not working or if
we are productive to bring the cost of making things work in the country down.
Case #2: HIV/AIDs: " .... He also said success has some downsides. Patients may not adhere to treatment
plans once they start feeling better, and the infection rate could climb even higher because treatment will reduce
fear of the disease.
Case #3: Populations' reliance on the Government: "The more we help the population, the more they
become reliant on us. After some time, they seem to be taking the easy way out by 'passing the buck to us'.
For example, when the farmers are not able to farm the land, they expect us to buy tractors for them.
Case #4: Falling foreign direct investments (FDIs): "We created incentives to attract foreign investments
to our country. They did come. Excepts when investors tried to find ways to take the goods out of the
country for export, they found there were not adequate infrastructure which made cost of production in
Botswana expensive leading to investors pulling out their investments!
Case #5: Our people are not motivated to work hard for the country: Needing to remove factors that
cause us to use the short-term fixes (reliance on technical skills, tendency for problem-solving, seeing the task
and results and not including the people involved)
Case #1: We have diamonds ... again! "Thank goodness! Now we can continue to support our
development funds, our rising health costs, fund subsidies even though most of our citizens are not working or if
we are productive to bring the cost of making things work in the country down.
Case #2: HIV/AIDs: " .... He also said success has some downsides. Patients may not adhere to treatment
plans once they start feeling better, and the infection rate could climb even higher because treatment will reduce
fear of the disease.
Case #3: Populations' reliance on the Government: "The more we help the population, the more they
become reliant on us. After some time, they seem to be taking the easy way out by 'passing the buck to us'.
For example, when the farmers are not able to farm the land, they expect us to buy tractors for them.
Case #4: Falling foreign direct investments (FDIs): "We created incentives to attract foreign investments
to our country. They did come. Excepts when investors tried to find ways to take the goods out of the
country for export, they found there were not adequate infrastructure which made cost of production in
Botswana expensive leading to investors pulling out their investments!
Case #5: Our people are not motivated to work hard for the country: Needing to remove factors that
cause us to use the short-term fixes (reliance on technical skills, tendency for problem-solving, seeing the task
and results and not including the people involved)
| UNCOVERING THE STRUCTURES THAT KEEPS THE PROBLEMS IN THE COUNTRY RECURRING! |
Dependency
on developing
something
that is not
sustainable
(alive)?
on developing
something
that is not
sustainable
(alive)?
Reeling from
HIV/AIDs
that is
devastating
lives (and
hope).
HIV/AIDs
that is
devastating
lives (and
hope).
Dependence
government
the money is
(and is going
(and is going
government
the money is
(and is going
(and is going
country!countr
y!
y!
Declining
productivity
where we
need it most!
productivity
where we
need it most!
| Putting it together! |
Pattern #1: We have diamonds!
Pattern #2: We have HIV/AIDs!
Pattern #3: We have the Government!
Pattern #4: Here's one more thing that is pulling us in a different direction!
Pattern #5: Where's all the good people gone?
WHAT MIGHT MAKE IT DIFFICULT OR GET IN THE WAY OF MAKING THESE HAPPEN? WHAT KEEPS OUR CONVERSATIONS LIKE THESE AND IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THESE STRUCTURES? Click here to share your thoughts, comments and reactions |