In Chapter 5, Meadows identified eight system traps. They are as follows:

Policy Resistance

The Commons

Drift to Low Performance

Escalation

Success to the Successful

Shifting Burden to Intervenor

Rule Beating

Seeking Wrong Goal

For this assignment, you need to apply your learning about system traps and solutions. Follow the instructions below, then upload your work in a Word or PDF document.

This assignment has two parts; be sure you do both.

Part 1. Select one of the eight system traps and identify a problem or issue of that trap that a company/organization has appeared to approach in a manner that will provide or has provided a way out of the trap.

Describe the problem or issue.

Identify the system trap for each part of the assignment; explain how the problem/issue identified meets the criteria of the trap.

Explain how the company or organization approached the problem in a way that has been successful or will likely resolve the issue; connect the reasons for the success back to Meadows’ recommendations.

Cite outside sources you summarize, paraphrase, or quote.

Part 2. Select another system trap (different from the one you chose for Part 1) and identify a problem or issue that is an example of that trap. Propose a way out of the trap, incorporating the guidance that Meadows outlined.

Describe the problem or issue.

Identify the system trap for each part of the assignment; explain how the problem/issue identified meets the criteria of the trap.

Explain your proposed solution or way out of the trap with more than Meadows’ overview/general recommendations; describe specific examples of how to achieve the way out that she recommends.

Cite outside sources you summarize, paraphrase, or quote.

Note: Please do not use examples that Meadows referred to in her book. Instead, look at current news headlines (local, national, or global) or consider community or organizational problems that you are aware of.