Tragedy of the Commons (ToC) Archetype (Systemic Structure)

Tragedy of the Commons4
Tragedy of the Commons3

How come I am getting less now?

How come I feel I am losing control fast??

EVENT

WHAT THE STRUCTURE LOOKS LIKE AT A POINT IN TIME (AS AN EVENT)

How come I am getting less now?

How come I feel I am losing control fast?

THE STORY OF WHEN OPTIMIZING EACH PART DESTROYS THE WHOLE: Everyone takes advantage of a resource that doesn’t belong to anybody

PATTERN

A MANAGEMENT STORY ILLUSTRATING THE BEHAVIOR OF THE STRUCTURE PLAYING OUT OVER TIME (BOT / VIDEO)

“Diminishing benefits (blue line) from overfishing (red line) leading to decline of total activity (green line)” / “overuse of expressways” story

BEHAVIOUR OF THE GRAPH (BOT) / PATTERN OVER TIME

BOT TOC2

STRUCTURE

DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCHETYPE

Everyone is using a common resource that nobody owns.   Overall usage goes up, but returns to the individuals go down.  Eventually, the resources may be destroyed.

Layout 1

MENTAL MODEL

OUTLOOK THAT CAUSES THE STRUCTURE TO PERSIST DESPITE OUR EFFORTS TO SOLVE THEM / RESISTS PROBLEM SOLVING:

“The resources belong to me.” Or “This resource is so vast that it’ll never run out/collapse”

FEAR OF FAILURE.  LEARNING:  TO LET IT GO SO AS NOT TO LET THE FEAR AFFECT THE WAY YOU SHAPE YOUR OUTLOOK, PERSPECTIVES AND DECISION-MAKING.

MAKING A SYSTEMIC INTERVENTION

TREATING THE STRUCTURE

RESOURCE ALLOCATION

The complex interaction of individual actions produces an undesirable collective result, such as the depletion of a common resource.  The archetype can be used to help connect the long-term effects of individual actions to the collective outcome, and to develop measures for managing the common resource more effectively

Intervention:

  • Effective solutions for this archetype scenario never lie at the individual level. Also this archetype is the result of several other archetypes gone unnoticed or unattended to.
  • Ask questions such as:
    • “What are the incentives for individuals to persist in their actions?” Identify the “commons” that is being shared? Determine incentives that are driving individuals use the resource.  Determine time frame for reaping benefits
    • Also determine the time frame for experiencing cumulative effects of the collective action. “Can the long-term collective loss be made more real and immediate to the individual actions?”  Then find ways to reconcile long-term cumulative consequences.  Make the long-term effects more present.  How can the long-term loss or degradation of the commons be more real and present to the individual user?  A governing body that is chartered with the sustainability of the resource can help.
  • Re-evaluate the nature of the commons. Are there other resources or alternatives that can be used to remove the constraint upon the commons?
  • Limit access to resources. Determine a central focal point – a shared vision, a measurement system, or final arbiter – that allocates the resource based on the needs of the whole system.

What it looks like if the system was working well:

  • “This common resource belongs to everyone.”
  • Everyone collectively agrees on overall use of a common resource.