Wicked Problem Essay

Affordable space for young entrepreneurs in Sydney emerges as a wicked problem. A wicked problem is characterised by the inability to define the problem, and is often incomplete, complex and has changing requirements (Briggs 2007). Startups that have more resources and better financing are more likely to survive (Headd 2003). Thus its crucial to an entrepreneur and employees that office spaces are well-connected by public transport, and have no traffic congestion problems. However achieving this is difficult, as conflicting views among stakeholders on how to best utilize the city places, and interconnected issues such as growing population and environmental issues are prevalent. This essay describes how the challenge of creating commercial space in cities can be considered wicked - having conflicting interests, interconnected problems, no clear formulation and no simple solution (Rittel & Webber 1973).

Bulk of literature on this topic emphasises collaborative strategies as an effective method to deal with wicked problems (Briggs 2007). Rittel in his 1973 paper also suggests a collaborative approach "to make those people who are being affected into participants of the planning process. They are not merely asked but actively involved in the planning process". Thus strategies such as meetings and collective decision making processes aimed at engaging entrepreneurs, urban planners, and policy makers can help determine the requirements of a dynamic work space. By better understanding the problem, the stakeholders can effectively define the social and legal constraints and decide the best way to approach the problem. They can work collaboratively on solutions to create resilient economies which provide innovative and quality work spaces without cutting the resources. This can create employment, attract investors and contribute to the country's