Dear Fil and Charlotte,
Good point you raise.
Basic introduction to systems design 101 concept is "systems where the
benefit for the individual goes in the opposite direction to
what is good for the whole system"
This issue is one of the basic intrinsic problems in managing systems.
It occurs when a subsystem under its own sub-management can arrange things
to create better conditions for itself at the expense of the system as a
whole.
The technical name for the concept is 'local sub-optimisation'. Typically,
'local sub-optimisation' must be avoided.
In general, the best outcomes for a system will result in sub-systems having
sub-optimised outcomes and if the sub-systems are human groups are likely
to be disappointed or unhappy .
An example of this is 'nimby' behaviour.
Another example is when designers with a training that does not include
understanding complex systems try to locally sub-optimise their position and
status through trying to convince the world that the non-systemic concepts
they use apply validly to complex systems.
Best wishes,
Terry
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