Cross-Border Market Expansion: Leveraging Data-Driven Insights for Strategic Growth
The global coffee supply chain is facing a significant challenge due to Brazil’s severe drought and uncharacteristic frosts, which have caused the coffee crops to shrink and die. This crisis highlights a broader issue of sustainable food production and distribution worldwide. As a team of system thinking experts with analytics expertise, you have been tasked with developing a data-supported solution using a system thinking framework to address the challenge of sustainable food production and distribution globally.
Source: How Brazil’s Severe Drought Affects The Entire World’s Coffee Supply Chain : NPR
Presentation Structure
Slide 1 : Introduction
Introduction and explanation of why sustainable food production and distribution across the globe is a wicked problem
Slide 2 : Reframe the Problem
Reframe the problem in terms of a question or questions that could lead to micro-solutions and recommendations
Slide 3 : System Elements
Explanation of the elements of the system now that the problem has been reframed
Slide 4 : Perspectives
List the possible perspectives of different “players” in the system
Slide 5 : Boundaries
List the boundaries (scope and scale of the system), having reframed the problem
Slide 6 : Useful Datasets
List five datasets which would be useful in getting insight into the problem, now that it has been reframed. Explain why
Slide 7 : Iceberg Model
Apply the Iceberg model to the problem in context
Slide 8 : Complex Systems
Write notes on how to think of this problem in terms of complex systems (e.g., unpredictable, evolving, and self-organizing)
Slide 9 : Recommendations
Suggest preliminary recommendations, solutions, and suggest next steps
Slide 10 : References
Include a list of all sources used in the presentation, formatted according to the chosen citation style (e.g. Harvard).
Key learning from this project
- Understanding the complexity of wicked problems.
- Applying systems thinking to reframe problems effectively.
- Identifying system elements and perspectives.
- Defining boundaries and scope of the problem.
- Analyzing and interpreting relevant datasets.
- Applying the Iceberg model to uncover underlying causes.
- Thinking of problems in terms of complex systems.
- Developing preliminary recommendations and solutions.
- Reflecting on the importance of systems thinking and complexity science in problem-solving.
Answer to the question – How will you applying your learning in your future organization
Through this project, I gained valuable experience in systems thinking and problem-solving using analytical frameworks. I learned to reframe complex problems into manageable questions and identify micro-solutions and recommendations. By applying systems thinking, I can help your organization tackle wicked problems like sustainable food production and distribution more effectively.
I can leverage my skills in conducting comprehensive environmental analyses, including PESTLE, SWOT, and GAP analyses, to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities your organization faces. This will enable me to propose strategic recommendations tailored to your organization’s needs and goals.
Furthermore, I can assist your organization in collecting and analyzing relevant data to gain insights into the problem at hand. By applying frameworks like the Iceberg model and considering the problem within the context of complex systems, I can help identify underlying causes and develop effective solutions. These solutions may include recommendations for policy changes, process improvements, or technological innovations, all aimed at promoting sustainable food production and distribution globally.