University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Valuing the Commons: A Fundamental Challenge across Complex Systems

Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Joel; Lawson, Chris

Content Files
Valuing the Commons white paper Sept 29 2010.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/17422

Description

Title
Valuing the Commons: A Fundamental Challenge across Complex Systems
Author(s)
  • Cutcher-Gershenfeld, Joel
  • Lawson, Chris
Issue Date
2010-11-30
Keyword(s)
  • complex systems
  • stakeholders
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • infrastructure
  • governance
Date of Ingest
2010-11-30T20:39:20Z
Abstract
The political, economic and social landscapes of the 21st Century are increasingly dominated by complex, sociotechnical systems that are essential to human civilization, yet incompletely addressed with existing theory, tools, methods, and policies. Illustrative systems are found in transportation, information, finance, energy, health care, education, disaster response, and supply chains. Social, behavioral and economic sciences in the 20th Century were focused on hierarchical corporations and expanding markets – the organizational and institutional underpinnings of the industrial revolution. Twentieth Century successes were tempered by various “tragedies of the commons” (such as negative impacts on working conditions, human dignity, the environment, and developing economies). In the 21st Century, increasing interdependencies and accelerating rates of change are dramatically expanding the ways in which complex “systems” shape organizations and markets. Multi-level research incorporating the systems context and systems-level policies have great transformative potential – addressing externalities and expanding how we “value the commons.” This white paper highlights layers and networks of aligned (or misaligned) stakeholders, which are at the heart of these systems. Orienting social, behavioral, and economic sciences and public polices to better address stakeholders in complex systems is essential to generating new forms of value for society and mitigating catastrophic systems failures.
Type of Resource
text
Genre of Resource
  • Report (Grant or Annual)
  • Conference Paper / Presentation
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/17422
Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)
National Science Foundation

Owning Collections

Research and Publications - Labor and Employment Relations PRIMARY