Handout: Technical Problems and Adaptive Challenges

1. Easy to identify
2. Often lend themselves to quick and

easy (cut-and-dried) solutions

1. Often can be solved by an authority

or expert

1. Require change in just one or a few

places; often contained within

organizational boundaries

1. People are generally receptive to

technical solutions

1. Solutions can often be implemented

quickly—even by edict

1. Difficult to identify (easy to deny)
2. Require changes in values, beliefs,

roles, relationships, & approaches to work

1. People with the problem do the

work of solving it

1. Require change in numerous places;

usually cross organizational

Boundaries

1. People often resist even

acknowledging adaptive challenges

1. “Solutions” require experiments and

new discoveries; they can take a

long time to implement and cannot

be implemented by edict