Tag: unintended consequences



Unintended consequences refer to unanticipated outcomes or effects that arise from actions, decisions, or events, often with unintended and sometimes negative impacts that were not initially foreseen or intended.

Wikipedia Entry: unintended consequences

In the social sciences, unintended consequences (sometimes unanticipated consequences or unforeseen consequences, more colloquially called knock-on effects) are outcomes of a purposeful action that are not intended or foreseen. The term was popularized in the 20th century by American sociologist Robert K. Merton.

Unintended consequences can be grouped into three types:

  • Unexpected benefit: A positive unexpected benefit (also referred to as luck, serendipity, or a windfall).
  • Unexpected drawback: An unexpected detriment occurring in addition to the desired effect of the policy (e.g., while irrigation schemes provide people with water for agriculture, they can increase waterborne diseases that have devastating health effects, such as schistosomiasis).
  • Perverse result: A perverse effect contrary to what was originally intended (when an intended solution makes a problem worse).
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A tag is a type of metadata keyword or label that makes finding information in this blook on a specific subject easier. All posts in this blook tagged with the word unintended consequences are listed below. You will find a list of all tags in the tag cloud and a shorter list of tags with their descriptions in the glossary

Margaret Heffernan Author, mentor, teacher

Margaret Heffernan is an entrepreneur, CEO, writer and keynote speaker. She is currently a part-time lecturer at the University of Bath School of Management in England. The voice of leadership | Margaret Heffernan WebsiteMargaret HeffernanWikipediaMargaret HeffernanLinkedinMargaret HeffernanTwitter@M_HeffernanYouTubeMargaret HeffernanGoogleMargaret Heffernan Twitter Tweets by Margaret Heffernan Books: Margaret HeffernanMargaret Heffernan Author, mentor, teacherTags: leadership (69) | Margaret … Continue reading Margaret Heffernan Author, mentor, teacher

Unintended and Undesirable Consequences of Innovation Karl-Erik Sveiby, Pernilla Gripenberg, Beata Segercrantz, Andreas Eriksson, Alexander Aminoff (2009)

Abstract Although innovation is one of the most commonly mentioned concepts in social science unintended undesirable consequences of innovation are rarely studied. This study does a literature review of all articles in the EBSCO database, with innovation in the title and which study undesirable consequences. We found only 26 such articles; 1 per 1000,  a … Continue reading Unintended and Undesirable Consequences of Innovation Karl-Erik Sveiby, Pernilla Gripenberg, Beata Segercrantz, Andreas Eriksson, Alexander Aminoff (2009)

In a Complex World How Do You Minimize, Maximize or Optimize Anything? You can't!

Gurteen Knowledge Blog   February 13, 2021, 18:55When reading business articles and marketing material, I have a problem with words like maximize, minimize, and optimize. In a complex world: How do you maximize the return on investment? How do you minimize staff turnover? How do you optimize team performance? How do you ever know if you’ve maximized, … Continue reading In a Complex World How Do You Minimize, Maximize or Optimize Anything? You can’t!

We Are Walking on a Trampoline Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin, Monique Sternin

Unintended consequences get to the heart of why you never really understand an adaptive problem until you have solved it. Problems morph and “solutions” often point to deeper problems. In social life, as in nature, we are walking on a trampoline. Every inroad reconfigures the environment we tread on. Credit: The Power of Positive Deviance … Continue reading We Are Walking on a Trampoline Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin, Monique Sternin

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Introduction: Complexity The world is fast-changing and increasingly more turbulent

Retrospective Coherence in a Complex World What Is a System? ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter The world is fast-changing and increasingly more turbulent. The problems and challenges we face are both complex and adaptive and thus more resilient in the face of traditional approaches and ways of working. Posts that link to … Continue reading Introduction: Complexity The world is fast-changing and increasingly more turbulent

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Complex Systems ** Many parts interacting with each other in multiple ways

Complex Systems and Complex Adaptive Systems ** Complex Adaptive Systems ** Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Complex Systems A complex system consists of many highly interconnected parts that dynamically interact with each other. The Internet and the global economy are good examples. Complex is not the same as complicated In everyday language, we … Continue reading Complex Systems ** Many parts interacting with each other in multiple ways

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Technical Challenges and Complex Adaptive Challenges Distinguishing between straightforward and complex challenges

Exploring Uncertainty – the Role of Catalytic and Safe-to-fail Probes There Are No Solutions to Complex Challenges Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Navigating challenges is crucial, but the type of challenge matters greatly. There are two categories: technical challenges with known solutions and complex adaptive challenges that are messy, ambiguous, evolving, and require … Continue reading Technical Challenges and Complex Adaptive Challenges Distinguishing between straightforward and complex challenges

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Unintended Consequences In a complex system, every purposeful action produces unintended consequences

There Are No Solutions to Complex Challenges Obliquity in a Complex World Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Unintended consequences are outcomes of an action that are not intended or foreseen. Most such consequences are undesirable.  Being an armchair philosopher is far too easy in business and international development. We often think that the … Continue reading Unintended Consequences In a complex system, every purposeful action produces unintended consequences

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Our World Is Hyperconnected The world is an increasingly connected place

Our World Is a Mess Our World Is Complex Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter We have entered a new world that is increasingly dynamic and hyperconnected. This has massive consequences for us.  Connectedness In the last 75 years, with the rapid advance of technology, the advent of cheap global transportation, and, more recently, … Continue reading Our World Is Hyperconnected The world is an increasingly connected place

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The Myth of Thamus and Theuth Does writing allow the pretense of understanding, rather than true understanding?

Our Most Powerful Technology Is Conversation Our Brains Are Designed for Conversation Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter In Plato’s Phaedrus, Socrates shares the myth of Thamus and Theuth, questioning the invention of writing. Writing, he argues, weakens memory and offers the appearance of wisdom without true understanding. Socrates suggests that serious discourse using … Continue reading The Myth of Thamus and Theuth Does writing allow the pretense of understanding, rather than true understanding?

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Changing People ** The challenge of trying to change people

Zoom Virtual Knowledge Cafés ** Reversing Cause and Effect Close Pop-up all posts in this chapter Change is a constant aspect of our lives, gradually shaping our identities. However, we face difficulties when attempting to change others’ behaviors. Direct attempts to control or coerce usually result in resistance and unintended consequences. Embracing a conversational approach … Continue reading Changing People ** The challenge of trying to change people