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Globalization, complexity & wisdom

A study report for the EC FAST 
(
first draft of final report FAST-13)

July 1992        

  1. Globality is a higher level of complexity, but complexity is not a novelty. 
  2. Can we learn from past experience in decision-making / problem solving?
  3. The design paradigm for decision-making / problem- solving
  4. Organizational suggestions: demand-supply / client-designer
  5. Two basic complexity features: "competition vs cooperation" and "development 
    through unbalances"
  6. The globalization process has already produced large unbalances: the global issues
  7. From challenge to action: how to help the globalization process to diffuse at all 
    system's levels through competition/cooperation to avoid too great unbalances
  8. From challenge to action: how to respond to the global issues
  9. S&T is a powerful determinant of change: can we aim at S&T based innovation changes 
    to help the globalization process to diffuse reducing the integrated-excluded divide?
  10. S&T and global issues: can we plan for innovation changes in complex systems?
  11. Applying the design paradigm approach to all innovation levels: the institutional, 
    organizational and policy consequences
  12. Conclusions: applying the complexity "wisdom" to globalization

Appendix: Proposal for an experimental approach to an action program on Globalization

 

 

1) Globality is a higher level of complexity: complexity is not a novelty

2) Can we learn from past experience in decision- making / problem solving?

3) The design paradigm for decision-making / problem- solving

4) Organizational suggestions: demand-supply / client-designer

5) Two basic complexity features: "competition vs cooperation" and "development through unbalances"

6) The globalization process has already produced large unbalances: the global issues

7) From challenge to action: how to help the globalization process to diffuse at all system's levels through          competition/cooperation to avoid too great unbalances

8) From challenge to action: how to respond to the global issues

9) S& T is a powerful determinant of change: can we aim at S& T based innovation changes to help the                 globalization process to diffuse reducing the integrated-excluded divide?

10) S&T and global issues: can we plan for innovation changes in complex systems?

11) Applying the design paradigm approach to all innovation levels: the institutional, organizational and                policy consequences

12) Conclusions: applying the complexity "wisdom" to globalization

Appendix: Proposal for an experimental approach to an action program on Globalization

Globalization represents a change in human system complexity. To deal with it, it is necessary to assure variety of responses and flexibility. We need a creative approach on all the components of the action process: from organization, to problem definition, to solution design. Because of the uncertainties even in the definition of what the real problems at stake are, to assure a variety of approaches is more important than the attempt to select priority issues or to better focus the actions. We need to learn how to deal with the globality issues: so the approaches should assure, through variety and flexibility, that even errors will contribute to such learning.

All that makes difficult to converge the necessary will power and resources to develop practical actions: in fact we are too used to consider that action programs should be well spelled-out and assure selection of priority. We should therefore have the courage to admit that a clear and well focused program will be misleading. What we need is an experimental approach,, vague enough to assure the creative contribution from different sources, and the possibility to make change of directions and priority as we learn from the progress of the actions.

To assure variety and flexibility one should avoid a centralized approach and look for multipolar interventions. Nevertheless, it is important that a proper climate be developed to alert on the needs for multipolar interventions, to provide leverage effects on actions (no matter where they come from), to assure a frame of reference for debate, co-operation, stimulation.

With that in mind, we can underline the important role that the EC will have in providing such climate to induce actions.

We should therefore propose that the EC will launch an experimental program on globalization that will foster multipolar initiatives, call for creative contribution from a multiplicity of actors (both public and private), provide a starting frame of reference and the seeds for new initiatives. The EC should try to experiment the role of the client for globalization issues.

The EC experimental program - even if focused on the S&T contribution - will itself be multipolar. We propose the following types of intervention:

  1. Play the role of the client by making use of the current R&D Framework Programme to incentivate as much as possible the attention to globalization issues, such as, e.g.:
    - provide a financial premium for R&D projects that not only respond to each action lines terms of reference, but also foresee the participation of LDC's institutions or firms to the research ,
    - add a specific item on each line of action that calls for ideas and preliminary investigations on problems having a globalization dimension.
  2. Stimulate the emergence of new clients by incentivating the convergence of public and private financing to set up Trusts and Foundations, each one aiming at a specific objective or approach on globalization matters, such as, e.g.:
    - develop new products and production processes that respond to the local needs and capacity in LDCs,
    - incentive creativity and innovation in new products design (suited to new needs coming from globalization issues) by means of instruments such as product contests and prizes,
    - assure the accessibility of advanced technology to design products (and related manufacturing processes) for local needs, by favoring the concept of flexible design using high technology components (both for products and processes) which could be put together to local ones (hybrid technology solutions),
    - promote and support networks of R&D institutions.
  3. Enlarge the client dimension by developing international initiatives (in co-operation with governments, GO's and NGO's) to launch the first phase (problem identification and preliminary solutions development) of S&T for major globalization issues, such as, e.g.:
    - attack environmental global issues,
    - exploit global commons
    -develop low cost, socially acceptable shelter technology for massive inhurbated area,
    -experiment marginal agriculture technologies,
    - develop a multimedia new encyclopedia of technology and know how's.
  4. Act as a client in search of good ideas for ill defined problems, by setting up an open Counter initiative to incentive with financing any kind of unsolicited proposals that can contribute to develop a portfolio of ideas and globalization issues.