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Systems and methods for injectable devices
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to nanoscale wires and/or injectable devices. In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to electronic devices that can be injected or inserted into soft matter, such as biological tissue or polymeric matrixes. For example, the device may be passed through a syringe or a needle. In some cases, the device may comprise one or more nanoscale wires. Other components, such as fluids or cells, may also be injected or inserted. In addition, in some cases, the device, after insertion or injection, may be connected to an external electrical circuit, e.g., to a computer. Other embodiments are generally directed to systems and methods of making, using, or promoting such devices, kits involving such devices, and the like.
Classifications
A61N1/05 Electrodes for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode
Implantation of electrical probes into the brain has been central to both neuroscience research and biomedical applications, although conventional probes induce gliosis in surrounding tissue. We recently reported ultraflexible open mesh electronics implanted into rodent brains by syringe injection that exhibit promising chronic tissue response and recording stability. Here we report time-dependent histology studies of the mesh electronics/brain-tissue interface obtained from sections perpendicular and parallel to probe long axis, as well as studies of conventional flexible thin-film probes. Confocal fluorescence microscopy images of the perpendicular and parallel brain slices containing mesh electronics showed that the distribution of astrocytes, microglia, and neurons became uniform from 2-12 wk, whereas flexible thin-film probes yield a marked accumulation of astrocytes and microglia and decrease of neurons for the same period. Quantitative analyses of 4- and 12-wk data showed that the signals for neurons, axons, astrocytes, and microglia are nearly the same from the mesh electronics surface to the baseline far from the probes, in contrast to flexible polymer probes, which show decreases in neuron and increases in astrocyte and microglia signals. Notably, images of sagittal brain slices containing nearly the entire mesh electronics probe showed that the tissue interface was uniform and neurons and neurofilaments penetrated through the mesh by 3 mo postimplantation. The minimal immune response and seamless interface with brain tissue postimplantation achieved by ultraflexible open mesh electronics probes provide substantial advantages and could enable a wide range of opportunities for in vivo chronic recording and modulation of brain activity in the future.
Keywords: brain–machine interface; in vivo implants; minimal neuroinflammation; neural probes; ultraflexible macroporous probes.
Dr. Kary Mullis, Biochemist, 1993 Nobel Prize for Chemistry: Dr. Kary Mullis “If there is evidence that HIV causes AIDS, there should be scientific documents which either singly or collectively demonstrate that fact, at least with a high probability. There is no such document.” (Sunday Times (London) 28 nov. 1993) Dr. Heinz Ludwig Sanger, Emeritus Professor of Molecular Biology and Virology, Max-Planck-Institutes for Biochemy, Munchen. Robert Koch Award 1978: “Up to today there is actually no single scientifically really convincing evidence for the existence of HIV. Not even once such a retrovirus has been isolated and purified by the methods of classical virology.” (Letter to Suddeutsche Zeitung 2000) Dr. Serge Lang, Professor of Mathematics, Yale University: “I do not regard the causal relationship between HIV and any disease as settled. I have seen considerable evidence that highly improper statistics concerning HIV and AIDS have been passed off as science, and that top members of the scientific establishment have carelessly, if not irresponsible, joined the media in spreading misinformation about the nature of AIDS.” (Yale Scientific, Fall 1994) Dr. Harry Rubin, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley: Prof. Harry Rubin “It is not proven that AIDS is caused by HIV infection, nor is it proven that it plays no role whatever in the syndrome.” (Sunday Times (London) 3 April 1994) Dr. Richard Strohman, Emeritus Professor of Cell Biology at the University of California at Berkeley: “In the old days it was required that a scientist address the possibilities of proving his hypothesis wrong as well as right. Now there’s none of that in standard HIV-AIDS program with all its billions of dollars.” (Penthouse April 1994) Dr. Harvey Bialy, Molecular Biologist, former editor of Bio/Technology and Nature Biotechnology: Harvey Bialy “HIV is an ordinary retrovirus. There is nothing about this virus that is unique. Everything that is discovered about HIV has an analogue in other retroviruses that don’t cause AIDS. HIV only contains a very small piece of genetic information. There’s no way it can do all these elaborate things they say it does.” (Spin June 1992) Dr. Roger Cunningham, Immunologist, Microbiologist and Director of the Centre for Immunology at the State University of New York at Buffalo: “Unfortunately, an AIDS ‘establishment’ seems to have formed that intends to discourage challenges to the dogma on one side and often insists on following discredited ideas on the other.” (Sunday Times (London) 3 April 1994) Dr. Gordon Stewart, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, University of Glasgow: Prof. Gordon Stwart “AIDS is a behavioural disease. It is multifactorial, brought on by several simultaneous strains on the immune system – drugs, pharmaceutical and recreational, sexually transmitted diseases, multiple viral infections.” (Spin June 1992) Dr. Alfred Hassig, (1921-1999), former Professor of Immunology at the University of Bern, and former director Swiss Red Cross blood banks: Prof. Alfred Hassig “The sentence of death accompanying the medical diagnosis of AIDS should be abolished.” (Sunday Times (London) 3 April 1994) Dr. Charles Thomas, former Professor of Biochemistry, Harvard and John Hopkins Universities: “The HIV-causes-AIDS dogma represents the grandest and perhaps the most morally destructive fraud that has ever been perpetrated on young men and women of the Western world.” (Sunday Times (London) 3 April 1994) Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, New York Physician, founder of the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR): Joe Sonnabend “The marketing of HIV, through press releases and statements, as a killer virus causing AIDS without the need for any other factors, has so distorted research and treatment that it may have caused thousands of people to suffer and die.”
Brenes-Guillén, L.. (2019). Kary Mullis: padre de la técnica de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). Revista de Biología Tropical, 67(9), Blog.
“El desarrollo de la biología molecular y la genética ha sido posible gracias al trabajo multidisci-plinario de muchas personas, en este blog quiero resaltar el trabajo del dr. kary banks mullis, el cual se considera el padre de la técnica de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa, o mejor conocido como pcr, protocolo que utilizamos diariamente en nuestras investigaciones y que tiene grandes aplicaciones médicas e industriales. el dr. mullis, obtuvo su grado de licenciatura en ciencias (química) en el instituto de tecnología de georgia en 1966. en 1973 obtiene su título de doctorado en bioquímica en la universidad de berkeley. en 1979, se une a una de las primeras compañías en biotecnología lla-mada cetus en california, años después desarrolla (junto a un equipo de trabajo) la síntesis de oligonucleótidos y la pcr. gracias a este ‘momento eureka’ inicia la revolución de la biología molecular, tanto a nivel de investigación como con toda la industria de equipos y consumibles que requiere. debido a este aporte tan significativo, recibe en 1993 el premio nobel en quími-ca, galardón que compartió con michael smith, quien lo recibió por sus investigaciones en mu-tagénesis dirigida basada en oligonucleótidos y su desarrollo para estudios de proteínas. a pesar de que se considera uno de los descubrimientos más importantes a nivel cientí-fico del siglo xx, al principio contó con una serie de inconvenientes o algunas preocupaciones sobre el funcionamiento de la técnica. en su página personal, el dr. mullis describe al menos cuatro de los posibles problemas que enfrentaría su gran idea, sin embargo el más importante por resolver era la enzima que utilizaría para lograrlo, ya que debía ser funcional a altas tem-peraturas. cabe resaltar que la idea contemplaba el uso de ciclos de elevadas temperaturas (50°c a 95°c) para lograr abrir la hebra de adn y poder amplificar la región de interés, y que por ende el procedimiento debía ser llevado en un baño maría (en ese momento no habían termocicladores). en 1988, junto a r. k. saiki y colaboradores, describe el uso de una enzima polimerasa termoestable, la polimerasa taq, aislada de la bacteria thermus aquaticus (obtenida de fuentes termales), la cual se puede utilizar a altas temperaturas. este último hallazgo junto a la técnica de pcr revolucionaron todos los conocimientos de genética y biología molecular que se tenían hasta el momento, siguen siendo muy útiles hoy en día y son la base de otras técnicas y protocolos ampl…”
Galibert, F., & Netter, P.. (2021). Hommage à Kary Mullis. Bulletin de l’Académie Nationale de Médecine, 205(4), 383–386.
Danilova, V. M., Matyshevska, O. P., & Komisarenko, S. V.. (2021). Nobel Prize laureate Kary Mullis and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The Ukrainian Biochemical Journal, 93(5), 122–131.
“The article highlights the major life and career milestones and the extraordinary personality of 1993 nobel prize laureate in chemistry kary b. mullis. the background of mullis’ invention of the polyme-rase chain reaction (pcr), a revolutionary and monumental method of molecular biology and genetics of the 20th century, is described. the pcr technique is based on multiple selective copying of a particular segment of dna with the help of enzymes in vitro. under these conditions, only the target region is copied, and only if it is present in the studied sample. the invention of the pcr method has been one of the most outstanding events in molecular biology in recent decades.”
kid (n.)
c. 1200, “the young of a goat,” from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse kið “young goat,” from Proto-Germanic *kidjom (source also of Old High German kizzi, German kitze, Danish and Swedish kid).
In clothing, “made of soft leather,” as though from the skin of a kid, but commercially often of other skins. Hence kid glove “a glove made of kidskin leather” is from 1680s; sense of “characterized by wearing kid gloves,” therefore “dainty, delicate” is from 1856.
“Just don’t fool yourself. One stands before a quite certain movement. Just as the spirit was abolished at that Council in Constantinople, that is, as it was dogmatically determined: Man consists only of body and soul, to speak of a spirit is heretical -, so one will strive in another form to abolish the soul, the life of the soul. And the time will come, perhaps not at all in the distant future, when at such a congress as the one that took place in 1912, something quite different will develop, when quite different tendencies will appear, when one will say: It is already morbid in man, if he even thinks about spirit and soul. Only those people are healthy who only talk about the body. – It will be regarded as a symptom of illness if man develops in such a way that he can come to the concept: There is a spirit or a soul. – These will be sick people. And one will find – you can be quite sure – the corresponding remedy through which one will work. At that time one abolished the spirit. The soul will be abolished by a medicine. Out of a “healthy view” one will find a vaccine by which the organism will be worked on in such a way in the earliest possible youth, if possible right at birth, that this human body will not come to the thought: There is a soul and a spirit. – This is how sharply the two world-view currents will confront each other. The one will have to think about how concepts and ideas are to be formed so that they can cope with the real reality, the reality of the spirit and the soul. The other, the successors of today’s materialists, will look for the vaccine that will make the body “healthy”, that is, make it so that this body, through its constitution, no longer talks of such silly things as soul and spirit, but talks “healthy” of the forces that live in machines and chemistry, that constitute planets and suns in the nebula of the world. This will be brought about by physical procedures. The materialistic physicians will be given the task of expelling the souls from mankind. Yes, those who believe that one can see into the future with playful concepts, they are very much mistaken. With serious, thorough, deep concepts one must look into the future. Spiritual science is not a gimmick, is not merely a theory, but spiritual science is a real duty towards the development of mankind.”
In planning and policy, a wicked problem is a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. It refers to an idea or problem that cannot be fixed, where there is no single solution to the problem; and “wicked” denotes resistance to resolution, rather than evil. Another definition is “a problem whose social complexity means that it has no determinable stopping point”.Moreover, because of complex interdependencies, the effort to solve one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create other problems. Due to their complexity, wicked problems are often characterized by organized irresponsibility.
Lönngren, J., & van Poeck, K.. (2021). Wicked problems: a mapping review of the literature. International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology
“The term ‘wicked problems’ is today widely used in the sustainability literature, but there is no consensus on its theoretical underpinnings or its utility for research. this paper reports on a mapping review of the wicked problems literature for which we analyzed a sample of 55 papers regarding 1. whether and how the term ‘wicked problems’ is used as a theoretical concept, 2. what meanings are associated with the concept, 3. what epistemological assumptions are stated, and 4. what rhetorical functions the concept performs. the results indicate that the concept is not always consistently applied as a theoretical concept; that authors ascribe many different meanings to the concept; that authors use diverse epistemological assumptions that are not always made explicit; and that the concept performs a wide range of rhetorical functions. the results provide a vocabulary that enables sustainability researchers to more clearly position their work in the dispersed wicked problems literature.”
Grewatsch, S., Kennedy, S., & Bansal, P.. (2021). Tackling wicked problems in strategic management with systems thinking. Strategic Organization
“Strategy scholars are increasingly attempting to tackle complex global social and environmental issues (i.e. wicked problems); yet, many strategy scholars approach these wicked problems in the same way they approach business problems—by building causal models that seek to optimize some form of organizational success. strategy scholars seek to reduce complexity, focusing on the significant variables that explain the salient outcomes. this approach to wicked problems, ironically, divorces firms from the very social-ecological context that makes the problem ‘wicked.’ in this essay, we argue that strategy research into wicked problems can benefit from systems thinking, which deviates radically from the reductionist approach to analysis taken by many strategy scholars. we review some of the basic tenets of systems thinking and describe their differences from reductionist thinking. furthermore, we ask strategy scholars to widen their theoretical lens by (1) investigating co-evolutionary dynamics rather than focusing primarily on static models, (2) advancing processual insights rather than favoring causal identification, and (3) recognizing tipping points and transformative change rather than assuming linear monotonic changes.”
Alford, J., & Head, B. W.. (2017). Wicked and less wicked problems: A typology and a contingency framework. Policy and Society
“This paper addresses shortcomings in the scholarship about ‘wicked problems’, and suggests ways of tackling them. firstly, accounts of these problems tend to ‘totalise’, regarding them as intractable masses of complexity, so conflict-prone and/or intractable that they defy definition and solution. by contrast, we put forward a more nuanced analysis, arguing that complex problems vary in the extent of their wickedness, via such dimensions as their cognitive complexity or the diversity and irreconcilability of the actors or institutions involved. we propose a typology of different forms of wicked problems. a second shortcoming, linked to intractability, is that the favoured means of tackling wicked problems has tended towards ‘one best way’ approaches, most commonly collaboration with key stakeholders. moreover, particular forms of collaboration tend to be routinely applied in ‘one-size-fits-all’ fashion to a variety of situations – notably with a plethora of actors, and a focus on governance rather than implementation management. we put forward a contingency framework, based on our typology, proposing which types of collaboration are suitable for which types of problem. finally, we argue for a more realistic standard of success in dealing with wicked problems, especially the most difficult ones. to call for the ‘solving’ of these problems is to set up a standard which is not only impossible but also perhaps unnecessary. we argue that we do not so much ‘solve’ wicked problems as make progress towards improvement or towards better managing them. we spell out a more realistic version of ‘progress’.”
Schiefloe, P. M.. (2021). The Corona crisis: a wicked problem. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
“The aim of this paper is to analyse the current corona crisis from the perspective of the theory of wicked problems. the analysis is based on a combination of observation of national and global effects of the pandemic and a study of relevant theoretical contributions. the findings confirm that the crisis is of a kind that corresponds to the main characteristics of the wicked problems theory. the conclusion is that the pandemic cannot be approached by standardised analytical techniques, because it, like other wicked problems, represents a unique challenge and because all possible solutions may lead to unknown negative consequences.”
Termeer, C. J. A. M., Dewulf, A., & Biesbroek, R.. (2019). A critical assessment of the wicked problem concept: relevance and usefulness for policy science and practice. Policy and Society
“The concept of wicked problems has served as an inspiration for research in a variety of research fields but has also contributed to conceptual confusion through the various ways in which it has been defined and used. in this special issue, a number of ontological, theoretical and methodological issues are discussed. first, while its use as a buzzword has undermined precise conceptual definition, recent work goes beyond the wicked versus tame dichotomy and conceptualizes wickedness as a matter of degree, differentiates between dimensions of wickedness and emphasizes the relational character of problem definitions. second, new and existing governance approaches have often been unproblematically proposed as ways to solve wicked problems, while only imperfect solutions, partial solutions or small wins are achievable in practice. third, the concept of wicked problems has had little direct impact on policy theories, and while some argue that the analysis of wicked problems should be mainstreamed in public policy thinking, others propose to reject the concept and rely on existing policy theories. fourth, as a concept used in policy practice, wicked problems tend to provoke either paralysis or an overestimation of what policy can do about wicked problems. possible ways forward include (1) leaving the concept behind; (2) using the wicked problems literature as knowledge base to understand when and why policy and governance approaches fail; and (3) developing dimensions of wicked problems (i.e. conflict, complexity and uncertainty) into more analytically precise research tools and linking them with more closely with contemporary policy science developments.”
Hoffman, J., Pelzer, P., Albert, L., Béneker, T., Hajer, M., & Mangnus, A.. (2021). A futuring approach to teaching wicked problems. Journal of Geography in Higher Education
“This paper investigates how the teaching and learning about ‘wicked’ environmental problems may be fostered through an educational approach premised on futuring–the active imagination of the future. the growing academic interest in possible and desirable futures provides a promising starting point for restructuring education as coupling knowledge to imagination and teaching to policy practice can open up new, experiential ways of learning. empirically, this paper draws upon research on an experimental futuring course employing a ‘mixed classroom’ formula in which students and policy-makers learn together about sustainability challenges. drawing on the notion of inquiry, this course is set up with the aim to foster a critical engagement with the ways futures are imagined in political debates and decision-making. through complementary activities, the students were pushed to imagine possible futures around a central theme, the transition to a circular economy, in interaction with the policy-makers and other practitioners. this culminated in a ‘museum of the future’. from our action-research-based investigation of the learning experiences in the course, we conclude that a futuring approach to teaching wicked problems results in a more active attitude of students towards the space in which wicked problems and solutions are collectively imagined and deliberated.”
Walls, H. L.. (2018). Wicked problems and a “wicked” solution. Globalization and Health
“Background: ‘Wicked’ is the term used to describe some of the most challenging and complex issues of our time, many of which threaten human health. climate change, biodiversity loss, persisting poverty, the advancing obesity epidemic, and food insecurity are all examples of such wicked problems. however there is a strong body of evidence describing the solutions for addressing many of these problems. given that much is known about how many of these problems could be addressed – and given the risks of not acting – what will it take to create the ‘tipping point’ needed for effective action? main body: a recent (2015) court ruling in the hague held that the dutch government’s stance on climate change was illegal, ordering them to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% within 5 years (by 2020), relative to 1990 levels. the case was filed on behalf of 886 dutch citizens, suing the government for violating human rights and climate changes treaties by failing to take adequate action to prevent the harmful impacts of climate change. this judicial ruling has the potential to provide a way forward, inspiring other civil movements and creating a template from which to address other wicked problems. conclusion: this judicial strategy to address the need to lower greenhouse gas emissions in the netherlands is not a magic bullet, and requires a particular legal and institutional setting. however it has the potential to be a game-changer – providing an example of a strategy for achieving domestic regulatory change that is likely to be replicable in some countries elsewhere, and providing an example of a particularly ‘wicked’ (in the positive, street-slang sense of the word) strategy to address seemingly intractable and wicked problems.”
Peters, B. G., & Tarpey, M.. (2019). Are wicked problems really so wicked? Perceptions of policy problems. Policy and Society
“The concept of wicked problems has become widely used in policy analysis. the popularity of the concept has led to its overuse, and has produced significant conceptual stretching. this paper investigates the extent to which this stretching has led to the application of the concept to issues which are not ‘wicked’ in any meaningful sense. based on a survey of policy experts, we find that few, if any, policy problems are perceived to have all the attributes of wicked problems. although the concept does not appear useful in categorizing problems in a strict manner, the presence or absence of certain attributes can still be used in understanding the problems and in designing solutions for them.”
Peters, B. G.. (2017). What is so wicked about wicked problems? A conceptual analysis and a research program. Policy and Society
“The concept of wicked problems has become a fad in contemporary policy analysis, with any number of problems being labeled as ‘wicked’. however, if many of these problems are analyzed using a strict definition of the concept they do not meet the criteria. building on this analysis, i have developed a research program to investigate the extent to which even those problems usually thought to be wicked are actually that difficult.”
King, R.. (2021). On Europe, Immigration and Inequality: Brexit as a ‘Wicked Problem’. Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies
“In this paper i attempt a novel interpretation of brexit as a ‘wicked problem’. wicked problems are those which are unique and complex, full of internal contradictions, and defy solution, instead only creating other problems. after reviewing the lead-up to the 2016 brexit referendum, particularly the role of immigration, the core of the paper takes the main criteria for the specification of a wicked problem and applies them to brexit. special attention is given to two propositions: that every wicked problem is a symptom of other problems; and that every attempted solution to a wicked problem produces irreversible consequences. both are seen to apply to brexit. in the conclusion, i explore ‘wicked synergies’ between brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.”
Dentoni, D., Bitzer, V., & Schouten, G.. (2018). Harnessing Wicked Problems in Multi-stakeholder Partnerships. Journal of Business Ethics
“Despite the burgeoning literature on the governance and impact of cross-sector partnerships in the past two decades, the debate on how and when these collaborative arrangements address globally relevant problems and contribute to systemic change remains open. building upon the notion of wicked problems and the literature on governing such wicked problems, this paper defines harnessing problems in multi-stakeholder partnerships (msps) as the approach of taking into account the nature of the problem and of organizing governance processes accordingly. the paper develops an innovative analytical framework that conceptualizes msps in terms of three governance processes (deliberation, decision-making and enforcement) harnessing three key dimensions of wicked problems (knowledge uncertainty, value conflict and dynamic complexity). the roundtable on sustainable palm oil provides an illustrative case study on how this analytical framework describes and explains organizational change in partnerships from a problem-based perspective. the framework can be used to better understand and predict the complex relationships between msp governance processes, systemic change and societal problems, but also as a guiding tool in (re-)organizing governance processes to continuously re-assess the problems over time and address them accordingly.”
Niskanen, V. P., Rask, M., & Raisio, H.. (2021). Wicked Problems in Africa: A Systematic Literature Review. SAGE Open
“The theory of wicked problems, originating from western academic discussion, has evolved since the 2000s toward a universal diagnostic of societal challenges. in this article, we employ a systematic literature review to investigate the application of the concept of wicked problems in studies focusing on the african context. our aim is to understand the additional value and limitations of using the concept in a non-western frame of reference. we conclude that the concept remains underutilized in studies concentrating on africa; moreover, when it is used, it is mainly by academics of western or anglophone origin. overall, the concept of wicked problems is mainly applied descriptively rather than theoretically. based on the analysis of the themes and issues characterized as wicked, we elaborate toward a typology that takes account of the concrete ‘manifestations’ (e.g., health issues such as aids/hiv and its treatment history) and ‘mechanisms’ (e.g., historical path dependency) that condition the presence of wicked problems in the african context. the article contributes to the theory of wicked problems by developing a typology that distinguishes between interlinked and contextual problems (often characterized through the concept of ‘dual wickedness’), and proposes that problems can become exacerbated when the two dimensions are simultaneously present.”
Turnbull, N., & Hoppe, R.. (2019). Problematizing ‘wickedness’: a critique of the wicked problems concept, from philosophy to practice. Policy and Society
“The concept of ‘wicked problems’ is a major current in the fields of policy analysis and planning. however, the basis of the concept has been insufficiently examined. this re-examination of its conceptual basis explains the origins of the limitations and flaws in the wicked problems concept. this paper analyses and rejects the notion of ‘wicked problems’ on philosophical and practical grounds. we argue instead that the policy sciences already had better conceptualizations of public problems before rittel and webber’s flawed formulation. we return to this literature, and build upon it by reframing ‘wickedness’ in terms of higher and lower levels of problematicity in problem structuring efforts. in doing so, we offer an alternative, novel combination of the philosophy of questioning and the policy work approach to policy practice. ‘wickedness’ is re-conceptualized as problematicity, conceived as the distance between those who question or inquire into a policy problem. this is primarily a political distance, articulated in terms of ideas, interests, institutions and practices. high problematicity arises only when wide political distances are explicitly maintained, such that partial answers cannot be reached. practitioners deal with problematicity by a dual practical strategy of balancing closing-down and opening-up sub-questions to the problem in order to structure them such that they become amenable to action through partial answers. this simultaneously incorporates a politics of negotiating political distance via partisan adjustment and serial strategic analysis. the argument constitutes a theoretically and practically superior alternative to the ‘wicked problems’ perspective.”
Head, B. W.. (2019). Forty years of wicked problems literature: forging closer links to policy studies. Policy and Society
“Rittel and webber boldly challenged the conventional assumption that ‘scientific’ approaches to social policy and planning provide the most reliable guidance for practitioners and researchers who are addressing complex, and contested, social problems. this provocative claim, that scientific-technical approaches would not ‘work’ for complex social issues, has engaged policy analysts, academic researchers and planning practitioners since the 1970s. grappling with the implications of complexity and uncertainty in policy debates, the first generation of ‘wicked problem’ scholars generally agreed that wicked issues require correspondingly complex and iterative approaches. this tended to quarantine complex ‘wicked’ problems as a special category that required special collaborative processes. most often they recommended the inclusion of multiple stakeholders in exploring the relevant issues, interests, value differences and policy responses. more than four decades later, however, there are strong arguments for developing a second-generation approach which would ‘mainstream’ the analysis of wicked problems in public policy. while continuing to recognize the centrality of complexity and uncertainty, and the need for creative thinking, a broader approach would make better use of recent public policy literatures on such topics as problem framing, policy design, policy capacity and the contexts of policy implementation.”
Termeer, C. J. A. M., & Dewulf, A.. (2019). A small wins framework to overcome the evaluation paradox of governing wicked problems. Policy and Society
“The evaluation of policy strategies to tackle wicked policy problems inevitably involves a paradox of trying to judge solutions for problems that have no solutions and for which additional efforts might increase the chances of finding better responses. this paper analyzes how the concept of small wins can contribute to evaluating progress in wicked problem areas in a way that energizes a variety of stakeholders instead of paralyzing them and embraces complexity instead of reverting to taming and overestimation. it presents a small wins evaluation framework that is rooted in the underlying policy perspective of making progress through accumulating small wins. it comprises three steps: 1) identifying and valuing small wins; 2) analyzing whether the right propelling mechanisms are activated so as to accumulate into transformative change; 3) organizing that results feed back into the policy process to activate new small wins. this framework will inevitably clash with unrealistic expectations of addressing wicked problems rapidly, radically and comprehensively.”
Head, B. W., & Alford, J.. (2015). Wicked Problems: Implications for Public Policy and Management. Administration and Society
“The concept of ‘wicked problems’ has attracted increasing focus in policy research, but the implications for public organizations have received less attention. this article examines the main organizational and cognitive dimensions emerging from the research literature on wicked problems. we identify several recent approaches to addressing problem complexity and stakeholder divergence based on the literatures on systems thinking, collaboration and coordination, and the adaptive leadership roles of public leaders and managers. we raise some challenges for public management in some key functional areas of government—strategy making, organizational design, people management, and performance measurement. we argue that provisional solutions can be developed, despite the difficulties of reforming governance processes to address wicked problems more effectively.”
Thollander, P., Palm, J., & Hedbrant, J.. (2019). Energy efficiency as a wicked problem. Sustainability (Switzerland)
“Together with increased shares of renewable energy supply, improved energy efficiency is the foremost means of mitigating climate change. however, the energy efficiency potential is far from being realized, which is commonly explained by the existence of various barriers to energy efficiency. initially mentioned by churchman, the term ‘wicked problems’ became established in the 1970s, meaning a kind of problem that has a resistance to resolution because of incomplete, contradictory, or changing requirements. in the academic literature, wicked problems have later served as a critical model in the understanding of various challenges related to society, such as for example climate change mitigation. this aim of this paper is to analyze how the perspective of wicked problems can contribute to an enhanced understanding of improved energy efficiency. the paper draws examples from the manufacturing sector. results indicate that standalone technology improvements as well as energy management and energy policy programs giving emphasis to standalone technology improvements may not represent a stronger form of a wicked problem as such. rather, it seems to be the actual decision-making process involving values among the decision makers as well as the level of needed knowledge involved in decision-making that give rise to the ‘wickedness’. the analysis shows that wicked problems arise in socio-technical settings involving several components such as technology, systems, institutions, and people, which make post-normal science a needed approach.”
Sediri, S., Trommetter, M., Frascaria-Lacoste, N., & Fernandez-Manjarrés, J.. (2020). Transformability as a wicked problem: A cautionary tale?. Sustainability (Switzerland)
“Transformability is increasingly promoted as a way of moving societies toward more sustainable futures in the era of the anthropocene, mostly because the concept of resilience has fallen short in many instances where impacts on social-ecological systems are continuous, varied, and usually unknown. while such transformations can play a crucial role in improving the sustainability of social-ecological systems, they may lead to unexpected and undesirable outcomes. this literature review on social-ecological transformability and wicked problems seeks to shed light on and acknowledge some of the limitations of transformability regarding unforeseen conditions. we argue that wicked problems arise in transformation initiatives in the presence of high complexity, deep uncertainty, deep conflicts, and divergence among stakeholders, as well as scale mismatches concerning spatial, temporal, and institutional processes. our findings may explain why some transformation initiatives fail to generate expected changes on the ground, mainly in two cases: (a) a polarized configuration that maintains the status quo of the system to be transformed and (b) an unforeseen transformation that causes the system to lurch from crisis to crisis. to conclude, we recommend using diagnostic questions to prevent wicked problems in social-ecological transformations.”
Frey-Heger, C., Gatzweiler, M. K., & Hinings, C. R.. (2021). No End In Sight: How regimes form barriers to addressing the wicked problem of displacement. Organization Studies
“Wicked problems are complex and dispersed challenges that go beyond the capacity of individual organizations and require a response by multiple actors, often in the form of transnational regimes. while research on regimes has provided insights into such collective responses, less is known about how such regimes may form barriers that hinder and block appropriate responses to addressing wicked problems. exploring the problematic role of regime-level responses is timely given that many of today’s wicked problems are far from being alleviated and in many instances appear instead to be intensifying. we draw from complementary insights of regime theory and research on institutional barriers to explore our research question: how do regimes form barriers to addressing wicked problems, and which mechanisms sustain such barriers? we explore this question with a longitudinal case study of the transnational regime for refugee protection and its response to displacement in rwanda. from our findings, we develop a model of dissociation that explains how actors move further away from addressing a wicked problem. we identify four dissociative mechanisms (discounting, delimiting, separating, and displaying) that each create a distinct regime-level barrier. these barriers are distributed and mutually reinforcing, which makes it increasingly hard for actors to find alternative ways of responding to an escalating problem. our study provides insights for research on regimes and wicked problems as well as studies on institutional barriers. we conclude with policy implications for overcoming those barriers, in line with the wider concerns and motivations of this special issue.”
Mason, T. H. E., Pollard, C. R. J., Chimalakonda, D., Guerrero, A. M., Kerr-Smith, C., Milheiras, S. A. G., … Bunnefeld, N.. (2018). Wicked conflict: Using wicked problem thinking for holistic management of conservation conflict. Conservation Letters
“Conservation conflict is widespread, damaging, and has proved difficult to manage using conventional conservation approaches. conflicts are often ‘wicked problems,’ lacking clear solutions due to divergent values of stakeholders, and being embedded within wickedly complex environments. drawing on the concept of wicked environmental problems could lead to management strategies better suited to tackling conflict. however, it is unclear whether managers are embracing ideas from the wicked problems concept. there is currently a lack of guidance for applying strategies to tackle particular wicked problems, such as conservation conflict. we explored the suitability of wicked problems-inspired management, using eight contemporary conflict case studies. conservation conflict was managed predominantly using conventional approaches suited to tackling single objectives in simple environments, rather than balancing competing objectives in complex environments. to deal with different characteristics of wickedness, we recommend that managers develop strategies combining distributed decision-making, diverse opinions, pattern-based predictions, trade-off-based objectives, and reporting of failures. recent advances in conservation conflict research have focused on improving interactions among stakeholders. we believe that such stakeholder-focused approaches would dovetail with the whole-system focus of a wicked problems framework, allowing conservationists to move toward a holistic strategy for managing conservation conflict.”
Daviter, F.. (2017). Coping, taming or solving: alternative approaches to the governance of wicked problems. Policy Studies
“One of the truisms of policy analysis is that policy problems are rarely solved. as an ever-increasing number of policy issues are identified as an inherently ill-structured and intractable type of wicked problem, the question of what policy analysis sets out to accomplish has emerged as more central than ever. if solving wicked problems is beyond reach, research on wicked problems needs to provide a clearer understanding of the alternatives. the article identifies and explicates three distinguishable strategies of problem governance: coping, taming and solving. it shows that their intellectual premises and practical implications clearly contrast in core respects. the article argues that none of the identified strategies of problem governance is invariably more suitable for dealing with wicked problems. rather than advocate for some universally applicable approach to the governance of wicked problems, the article asks under what conditions different ways of governing wicked problems are analytically reasonable and normatively justified. it concludes that a more systematic assessment of alternative approaches of problem governance requires a reorientation of the debate away from the conception of wicked problems as a singular type toward the more focused analysis of different dimensions of problem wickedness.”
Crosby, A., Dunn, J. L., Aditjondro, E., & Rachfiansyah. (2019). Tobacco Control Is a Wicked Problem: Situating Design Responses in Yogyakarta and Banjarmasin. She Ji
“Tobacco use is a persistent social issue worldwide. the world health organization has found that policy change and regulation are the clearest paths to resolution. in indonesia, where smoking is increasingly common, tobacco control has become a wicked problem, plagued by conflicting stakeholder interests, public mistrust of science and government, and the lack of a clear path to a nationally applicable approach. at the local level, however, social change can take many forms, and involve diverse communities, individual citizens, businesses, ngos, and multiple levels of government in dynamic stakeholder configurations. by treating tobacco in indonesia as a wicked problem, and taking an iterative, collaborative approach to resolution, we demonstrate how locally-organized, youth-focused anti-tobacco campaigns are less about finding a single solution to tobacco use and more about identifying, connecting, and supporting local stakeholders working together towards preferred futures. we argue for the inclusion of locally-focused design research programs when rethinking complex issues such as tobacco control in places where national regulation is failing.”
Smith, K. J.. (2022). Wicked Problems in Pharmacy Education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
“Wicked problems are unstructured, cross-cutting, and relentless. while problem-solving is an expected outcome of pharmacy education programs, are we, as pharmacy educators, acknowledging the ‘wicked’ problems we have in the academy? this commentary provides examples of wicked problems in pharmacy practice and education and suggestions for engaging with wicked problems in an effort to solve them. pharmacy educators must hold a summit on wicked problems in pharmacy education in order to address the complex problems we are currently facing in order to shape the profession for the future.”
Zhang, J., & Kim, Y.. (2016). Digital government and wicked problems: Solution or problem?. Information Polity
“The theme of the 16th international conference on digital government research (dg.o 2015) – ‘“digital government and wicked problems”’ – drew attention to the increasingly complex global problems we are facing today. in the late 1960s, the term ‘“wicked problems”’ was coined to refer to societal and public planning problems that had no definitive solutions [1,2]. many problems, such as those identified in the theme of the conference – climate change, urbanization, and inequality – often exhibit the characteristics of ‘“wickedness”’ in the sense that they are both difficult to define and solve. the selection of this theme for dg.o 2015 reflects the digital government research community’s ambition and dedication to achieve a degree of understanding necessary to address some of the most intractable of these problems with the aid of emerging technologies. this special issue includes seven of the best papers from the dg.o 2015 conference. in this editorial, we highlight the characteristics of ‘ “wicked problems”’ briefly, and the way in which the term is relevant in digital government research. we then introduce the articles selected for this special issue. lastly, we provide suggestions to foster future research that addresses the nature of ‘ “wickedness”’ in digital government initiatives.”
Jentoft, S., & Chuenpagdee, R.. (2009). Fisheries and coastal governance as a wicked problem. Marine Policy
