Hello world!

Tēnā koutou katoa,

Hello and welcome to the first of many blog posts about Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) and all it entails. This blog is a place for me to chart my journey through ERST633 as I experience it, and as a practice space to integrate ideas and skills learned throughout the semester.

So, what is IEM?! At the start of this course, I summarised IEM in one sentence – “I believe IEM to be an approach that involves different actors and stakeholders all attempting to address complex environmental issues”. Reflecting on what I have learned these past few weeks, I now realise IEM is not so easily defined. Thankfully there is academic literature on how to begin to understand environmental problems. One of these pieces is Problem-framing: A perspective on Environmental Problem-Solving by Lisa Bardwell (1991). She identifies a key feature of an integrated management approach is problem framing. If an environmental problem is not correctly defined or framed it can create challenges in finding solutions, or can cause other problems to be arise. Bardwell (1991) identifies the importance of problem framing. She acknowledges

“… how one defines a problem determines one’s understanding of and approach to that problem, being able to redefine or reframe a problem and to explore the “problem space” can help broaden the range of alternatives and solutions examined.”

Inadequate time spent in the problem exploration phase can result in ineffective problem solving. This can lead to issues such as solving the wrong problem, solving a solution, or trying to get an agreement on the solution before there is an agreement on the problem (Bardwell, 1991). Bardwell (1991) identifies that a problem solving effort entails several stages

1. 1. Building an understanding of the problem: defining the problem-space
   2. Establishing some initial criteria for the goal
   3. Searching for solutions
   4. Deciding among solutions
   5. Evaluating progress: comparing initial goals to and monitoring the solution

At the interface of problem solving also lies the complexity of people. Problem framing incorporates a cognitive perspective on how people respond to information (Bardwell, 1991). Problem definition is not always a typical part of the problem solving approach. Key features of the problem solving approach acknowledges cognitive psychology and conflict management. These draw on management techniques that encourage a problem solving environment that is holistic, inclusive and productive.

The information environment can greatly influence successful problem solving. Sufficient time in the problem framing arena can yield better approaches to environmental problems.

 

References

Bardwell, L.V.  (1991). Problem-framing: A perspective on Environmental Problem-Solving. Environmental Management, 15:603-612.