Systemic Approaches and Technological Fixes

The main contribution of the paper is a categorisation of different types of solutions for (complex) problems based on the difference between fixes and systemic approaches. Unlike other approaches, the salient factor is not whether an approach is based on technology, but whether it only includes one component of the problem or takes a holistic approach which considers the context, all components of the problem and the relationships between them. This categorisation has been illustrated by examples of genetically modified rice, the Zimbabwe bush pump, screen readers for print disabled people and socially assistive robots and assistants for older people. Discussion of the examples has been used to give greater understanding of the factors which have led to a focus on technological fixes.