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Theory of Structural Change for IAMO Research Group
The part-whole paradigm
Examples of
research issues addressed here include the path dependence of farm structures,
regime shifts in land-system change, as well as transitional processes in the
evolution of farm structures and innovation systems. All these issues feature
counter-intuitive systemic properties that could not have been predicted using
standard agricultural economics tools. The key strength of the research group
in regard to the part-whole paradigm is the internationally renowned expertise
in the agent-based modelling of agricultural policy. (More on what happened here until now / is happening now)
The system-environment paradigm
This paradigm is represented by conceptual
research drawing inspiration from Niklas Luhmann’s theory of “complexity-reducing”
and “operationally closed” social systems. The attributes of complexity
reduction and operational closure are shown to generate sustainability
problems, conflicts, social dilemmas, ethical issues, and divergent mental
models. The organizing idea explaining these phenomena is the
complexity-sustainability trade-off, i.e., the tendency of the operationally
closed systems to develop excessive internal complexity that overstrains the
carrying capacity of the environment. Until now, the conceptual work along
these lines has focused on developing the systems-theoretic principles of
ecological degradation and highlighted the sustainability-enhancing role of
nonprofit organizations and corporate social responsibility. Another overarching
topic has been the analysis of connections between Luhmann’s social systems
theory and the evolutionary economics approaches, such as those of Thorstein
Veblen and Kenneth Boulding. <!--[if gte mso 9]>
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