Sabrina Courtois - Grand Challenges

Question 1

Grand Challenges- definitional characteristics

Answer 1

Grand challenges: Definition attempt
“specific critical barrier(s) that, if removed, would help solve an important societal problem with a high likelihood of global impact through widespread implementation.”

They are not easy and solvable just not yet!

• uncertainty
• complexity
  The problems are characterized by many
  interactions and associations, and nonlinear
  dynamics.
  
  • Evaluativity
    The problems cut across jurisdictional boundaries,
    implicate multiple criteria of worth, and can reveal
    new concerns even as they are being tackled.

Question 2

Key problems to tackle them

Answer 2

• problem of knowing
• Problem of valuation
• Problem of communication
• Problem of coordination
• Problem of trust
• Problem of access and reach
• Problem of institutions

Question 3

Problem of knowing

Answer 3

Understanding the true condition of social/ecological
problems.

Question 4

Problem of valuation

Answer 4

Measuring the social, ecological, and economic impact of (in)actions.

Question 5

Problem of communication

Answer 5

Developing a vision that aligns constituent/stakeholder
and social/ ecological interests.

Question 6

Problem of coordination

Answer 6

• Sharing difficult-to-anticipate coordination costs
  for impact projects.
  
  • Allocating shared value across multiple vectors
    (social, environmental, etc.).

Question 7

Problem of trust

Answer 7

O Preventing opportunistic behavior by
collaborators.
O Establishing credibility in market outputs to
constituents and stakeholders.

Question 8

Problem of institutions

Answer 8

• Holding accountable to standards amid institutional/ regulatory voids.
• Preventing disadvantages for internalizing negative spillovers or calling attention to opportunistic behavior by others.

Question 9

Problem of access and reach

Answer 9

O Building operational models to service hard-to-reach and
marginalized groups.
O Overcoming institutionalized social rules that disenfranchise various groups.

Question 10

Potential solutions - collaboration and their purposes

Question 11

Potential solutions - activism and their purpose

Answer 11

See the Overon window= the idea that we have this whole bunch of ideas that are social acceptable and some that are not (yet) acceptable. The window can move, the purpose of activism is push some topics closer to the window in order to make them policy. Think about women voting.