Week 1: Introduction,
Grand Challenges &
Innovation for Impact
What can management research really contribute?
1. It help difine and understand the nature and compelxity of
grand challenges.
2. Provide analytical insights on innovation tot tackle grand
challenges
Grand challenges are formulations of global
problems that cnan be plausibly addresed through
coordinated and collaborative effort.
The three characteristics of grand
challenges:
→ Complex
→ Uncertain
→ Evaluative
Complex
“First, grand challenges are complex, entailing many
interactions and associations, emergent understandings, and
nonlinear dynamics.”
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 1
, Problem is made up of many components that constantly
influence each other
Nonlinear dynamics means that these influences are often
upredictable and appear random → leading to vicious
feedback loops
→ For example the cobra effect
Uncertain
“Second, grand challenges confront organizations with radical
uncertainty, by which we mean that actors cannot define the
possible future states of the world, and therefore cannot
forecast the consequences of their present actions, or whether
future others will appreciate them.”
Grand challenges are highly uncertain and the problem
cannot be defined from the start as it will develop and
change over time
→ Example: Covid-19 development (disease → epidemic →
pandemic)
Evaluative
“And third, grand challenges are evaluative, cutting across
jurisdictional boundaries, implicating multiple criteria of
worth, and revealing new concerns even as they are being
tackled.”
Grand Challenges cut across social, economic and
evironmental domains, affecting many different sectors.
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 2
, Many different stakeholders are involved that have
different understanding and therefore approaches to the
problem.
Proligacy story → ?
Hierarchy story → ?
Individualistic story → ?
Understanding Grand Challenges
Differences
“Simple problems” Grand challenges
Solving an equation Land degradation
Playing chess Managming refugee crises
‘Going to the moon’ Tackling a pandemic
→ Require elegant Reducing CO2 emitiions
solutions
→ Require complex problem
solving
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 3
, Wicked Problem
Grand challenge as a wicked problem.
There are 4 characteristics
There is no clear formulatation
Every problem is a symptom of another
No stopping rule
Unique
Innovation for impact
“The process of translating an idea or invention into a good
or service that cretes sustainable value for society
Different types of innovation for impact
Social innovation → A social innovation is a new solution
or approach to address social problems or needs, that
creates positive social impact and improves people's lives.
Frugal innovation → Frugal innovation is the process of
creating cost-effective solutions that address the needs of
low-income populations.
Technoloy for good → Technology for good is the use of
technological advancements to improve the well-being and
quality of life for individuals and society as a whole.
Collaborative innovation → Collaborative innovation is the
process of generating new ideas and solutions by working
together with others.
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 4
Grand Challenges &
Innovation for Impact
What can management research really contribute?
1. It help difine and understand the nature and compelxity of
grand challenges.
2. Provide analytical insights on innovation tot tackle grand
challenges
Grand challenges are formulations of global
problems that cnan be plausibly addresed through
coordinated and collaborative effort.
The three characteristics of grand
challenges:
→ Complex
→ Uncertain
→ Evaluative
Complex
“First, grand challenges are complex, entailing many
interactions and associations, emergent understandings, and
nonlinear dynamics.”
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 1
, Problem is made up of many components that constantly
influence each other
Nonlinear dynamics means that these influences are often
upredictable and appear random → leading to vicious
feedback loops
→ For example the cobra effect
Uncertain
“Second, grand challenges confront organizations with radical
uncertainty, by which we mean that actors cannot define the
possible future states of the world, and therefore cannot
forecast the consequences of their present actions, or whether
future others will appreciate them.”
Grand challenges are highly uncertain and the problem
cannot be defined from the start as it will develop and
change over time
→ Example: Covid-19 development (disease → epidemic →
pandemic)
Evaluative
“And third, grand challenges are evaluative, cutting across
jurisdictional boundaries, implicating multiple criteria of
worth, and revealing new concerns even as they are being
tackled.”
Grand Challenges cut across social, economic and
evironmental domains, affecting many different sectors.
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 2
, Many different stakeholders are involved that have
different understanding and therefore approaches to the
problem.
Proligacy story → ?
Hierarchy story → ?
Individualistic story → ?
Understanding Grand Challenges
Differences
“Simple problems” Grand challenges
Solving an equation Land degradation
Playing chess Managming refugee crises
‘Going to the moon’ Tackling a pandemic
→ Require elegant Reducing CO2 emitiions
solutions
→ Require complex problem
solving
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 3
, Wicked Problem
Grand challenge as a wicked problem.
There are 4 characteristics
There is no clear formulatation
Every problem is a symptom of another
No stopping rule
Unique
Innovation for impact
“The process of translating an idea or invention into a good
or service that cretes sustainable value for society
Different types of innovation for impact
Social innovation → A social innovation is a new solution
or approach to address social problems or needs, that
creates positive social impact and improves people's lives.
Frugal innovation → Frugal innovation is the process of
creating cost-effective solutions that address the needs of
low-income populations.
Technoloy for good → Technology for good is the use of
technological advancements to improve the well-being and
quality of life for individuals and society as a whole.
Collaborative innovation → Collaborative innovation is the
process of generating new ideas and solutions by working
together with others.
Week 1: Introduction, Grand Challenges & Innovation for Impact 4
