Systems Thinking Response

Q1: Which system (type of stakeholder) that Easterbrook identified did you find your own understanding of GMOs most aligned with? Why? What are some of the stakes of these stakeholders?

My understanding of GMOs is more aligned with the system 2 – A system of research ethics and risk management. I agree with what Howard Silverman mentioned in the video – “Seeing the world through the eyes of another”. System 2 aims to evaluate the input, output, outcome and impact in a relatively comprehensive perspective.

“Does the value of the knowledge gained outweigh any potential risk to participants or others affected by the study?” is a central question in system 2. This also requires stakeholders with different perspectives and standpoint to assess the result and impact.

In this case, 1) the researcher cares about the success of this pilot for a scientific breakthrough; 2) Environmentalists have concerns on GMOs negative impact on ecosystems. 3) the Governments of countries in which people are suffering from hunger hope that GMOs can help solve the hunger problem.

Q2: Using your own topic for research, can you Identify 3 stakeholders (groups or phenomenon) with different perspectives, and then describe the system (the stakes) from which they are operating?

In my topic – Code of Arms, 3 stakeholders could be:

1.Traditional noble family who owns the Code of Arms: They hope to pass down its code of arms from one generation to another. They care about how to keep the original design while manifesting each generation’s feature. Some of them might also want the privilege of owning the Code of Arms.

2. Family or Individual who wants to design its own Code of Arms: For the families or people don’t have the Code of Arms to inherit from ancestors, they might want to own one. So they will seek the design guidance and the registration procedure.

3.Government/Ministry of Culture: They need to think about how to inherit and advocate it as a culture.