In this briefing paper, Co-Director of the Integral Sustainability Centre, Barrett Brown provides more detail on how to bring the integral sustainability model to life. The paper details each of the four quadrants or lenses proposed by Ken Wilber’s integral framework. It explores how these can be used to map the psychology, behaviour, culture and systems of individuals and groups to better understand how to approach solutions to the challenges of sustainable development.
Once familiarising readers with the model Brown reviews the most widely read sustainability publications against the quadrants to understand the weight these models and frameworks give to each quadrant. Included in the study were the well known publications "Cradle to Cradle", "Natural Capitalism" and "The Ecology of Commerce". The results found that overwhelmingly leading publications focus on the lower right or social and natural systems quadrant (collective external).
Brown argues that focusing on one of the lenses in such a disproportionate way can lead to a sub optimal result, even potential failure, as the contributions of the other dimensions are ignored.
Other publications studied whilst still weighted heavily to the lower right also featured a higher proportion of content in the other quadrants. These included "Ecovillage Living" and "The Natural Step for Business"; both had a strong lower right quadrant but also a higher proportional focus on the lower left quadrant representing the cultural dimension (collective interior). Brown surmises that this may be why "The Natural Step" has gone on to become one of the most popular and successful frameworks used globally.
Having said this, it is also important to note that Wilber’s research acknowledges that the lower right quadrant is in fact the single strongest determinant of the average mode of consciousness in a culture. Therefore efforts within this quadrant should be considered the strongest levers for change. Typically including things such as legal structures and policy they will exert the most influence, although it is still important to remember that these systems are influenced by the other quadrants and continually evolve.
Likewise Brown is keen to point out that the authors do not necessarily ignore the other quadrants intentionally but rather have focused on where there is easily accessible data and where the major leverage points for achieving change exist.
Suggestions and case studies are provided to illustrate how the model can be used to organise information, diagnose problems and identify and tailor solutions. The examples include completed quadrant analysis undertaken for each of these three aims. Examples also cover a variety of contexts, including both government and corporate settings, as well as major development programmes run by branches of the United Nations.
This also includes Brown’s own problem solving process Q-DyTS ("Quadrant Dynamics: Thwarting or Supporting"). This process focuses on how to use the quadrants for understanding and solution development:
- Clarify the initiative or central issue to be developed.
- Identify the forces revealed by each quadrant which might support the initiative or help resolve the issue.
- Identify the forces revealed by each quadrant which might thwart the initiative or hinder resolution of the problematic issue.
- Choose the thwarting and supporting forces which seem likely to have the greatest influence on the ultimate success or failure of your efforts.
- Design an integrated response which addresses the major thwarting forces and builds off of the most influential supporting forces. Use tools and methodologies appropriate to each quadrant to respond to forces in that quadrant.
- Implement the response.
- Measure results to the greatest degree possible. Gather feedback.
- Repeat the process and design a more tailored response, based upon previous results and feedback.
Despite the complex, multi-dimensional nature of analysis Brown notes that the best integral responses tend to be simple, representing the “simplicity on the other side of complexity”. Whilst looking at an issue from a range of perspectives only the most powerful leverage points for change are implemented so as to act in a powerful and positive way impacting each of the quadrants.
Reference:
- Brown, Barrett C, "The Four Worlds of Sustainability: Drawing upon four universal perspectives to support sustainability initiatives", 20 February 2007, Integral Sustainability Center.
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