Collective social and cultural transformations Marinus Jan Marijs
Introduction
Society and its organisational structures are complex.
To make this complexity comprehensible, the collective developmental lines (usually identified as hierarchies) within social and cultural development have been represented.
Not only the parallel existing developmental lines, but also the developmental sequences these developmental lines follow.
It is important to have insight into the whole complexity and structure of the social and cultural development processes, to make changes.
It is for this reason that The Seven Phases System is developed.
This to make it possible to analyse the development of organisations, companies and society and to make it possible to be able to see what is necessary for the desired changes.
This Seven Phases System will be explained here below
Furthermore it is important to use the collective intelligence of many individuals to solve the difficult tasks that many organizational structures face.
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
“Collective intelligence is shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration, collective efforts, and competition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision making.”)
For the collective developmental lines (hierarchies) within social and cultural development,
(see Collective transformations, click here).
About hierarchies
When one introduces hierarchical systems it should be understood that there are two fundamental different hierarchies:
dominator hierarchies vs. functional hierarchies
Traditional structures of power
Socio-cultural development:
Society is a highly structured system of human organization.
Such a system is characterized by a total complex of human relationships.
Socio-cultural development takes place in a number of distinct developmental lines:
Collective development includes the following developmental lines:
Government
Business
Industry
Education
Communication systems
Economic distribution
Energy systems.
Financial systems
Gross Domestic Product
Housing and basic facilities.
Innovation,
Knowledge or systems of thought.
Manufacturing
Physics,
Scientific enquiry
Standards of living,
Techno-economic base.
Technologies that are developed and implemented
Technological level infrastructure: The basic facilities, services and
installations needed for the functioning of a community.
Collective decision making
Communication
Community engagement
Health care systems
Job creation
Levels of social organisation
Literature
Music.
Political systems / The social institutions
Public services
Social safety net
Trust generating relationships
World views
Civil and political rights of individuals
Codes of law
Dispute resolution system: specific ways of processing collective tensions.
Ethics
Freedom and self-determination
Human rights
Prevention of violence
Aesthetics
Architecture
Art
Museums
Spiritual / religious systems
Philosophy
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It is a complex of forms or processes which are living and growing by interaction with the other, the whole being so unified that what takes place in one part affects all the rest.
The stage of society’s development is determined by the collective development of these lines.
The structure:
- There are a substantial number of parallel development lines
- Each of these development lines has a number of distinct “vertical” developmental stages
- Each of these development lines has a “lateral” development
The process:
- These development lines undergo a qualitative transformation from stage to stage, an upward ascending movement
- These development lines undergo a quantitative lateral expansion
- Each of these development lines are in reciprocal relationship, interacting upon one each other
If attempts to generate qualitative changes in the structure and framework of the sociocultural system, help society to better realize aims and objectives, than it is necessary to map the major structures and processes that are involved within this total system.
For this purpose 150+ collective developmental sequences
(and 50+ lateral ABCD diagrams) have been developed.
These 150+diagrams can be used in what is called an intervision process.
These 150+diagrams are the heart of the seven phases system
The aim of this process is informing people and make them aware of the many factors that are involved in a modern sociocultural system. And to collect feedback regarding to possible improvements of this sociocultural system, be it locally or universally.
The basic mechanism which can be the driving social change is increasing awareness of all the factors involved.
This will lead to better organization, that make an upward ascending movement featuring greater levels of energy, efficiency, productivity, quality, innovation, complexity, comprehension, creativity, mastery, enjoyment and accomplishment more likely.
If important factors are overlooked / ignored, then the whole system becomes out of balance.
The guidelines of the Seven Fases System:
A team leader/coordinator organises the intervision sessions.
He/ she informs the team members of the structure of the intervision process. When launching intervision in a team or a group of teams one should carefully introduce the concept, the purposes and the expected results to the involved team members.
The team members receive a list with instructions (this could be this list, part of this list, or an adapted list) and the 150+ collective developmental sequences.
This diagrams can be a number of printed cards (A5 format) but electronic duplication is preferable if everyone has a computer system.
These diagrams should be placed in alphabetical order and/or when in a computer program have a code number so that they can be searched and found electronically.{Search → 141} so that communication within the team or communication with participants outside the team will be effective.
If the diagrams are placed random, than searching for a specific diagram will be very time consuming and inefficient.
① + + Selecting hierarchies
The team will now select the relevant hierarchies for the intended purpose.
② Levels
The team will now be instructed in how these development lines have a number of well-defined “vertical” developmental stages, which society passes through in the course of its development.
③ Transformations
Here instructions will be given about transformations. This refers to a vertical shift in the level of operations that causes qualitative changes (many examples are to be found within the 150+ diagrams). This are transformations from one level to another level.
④ Vertical and lateral development
Here instructions will be given by the team leader to the team about the difference between qualitative vertical transformation and quantitative lateral expansion (many examples are to be found within the 50+ lateral ABCD diagrams, the ABCD strip below the diagrams and the 60+ examples below the 50+ lateral ABCD diagrams).
⑤ Cross connections
Here instructions will be given by the team leader to the team about the way how each of these development lines are in reciprocal relationship, interacting upon one each other.
The team leader can together with the team search for some relevant examples how different development lines influence each other.
100(0)
1 10(0) 100(0) Feedback
⑥ 100(0)
1 10(0)
The team leader .1. gives the team .10(0). the guidelines about this system.
The team members .10(0). go in communication with participants (outside the team .100(0). , the way how to do this will be explained here below ↓.
The feedback from outside participants 100(0)will be collected by the team members and evaluated by the team.
⑦ Feedback integrated and solutions applied
Feedback integrated, information and suggestions compared with other relevant information and solutions applied to practical purposes.
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The aim of this system is to inform people about the structure of the sociocultural processes, and the many differed factors that influence the developmental efforts.
To create awareness of the total process, this because the direction that the developmental process takes is influenced by the people’s awareness of it.
Awareness of structure, processes and methods of transformations.
Increasing awareness and an understanding leads to greater insight, which releases greater innovations that helps to bring about greater accomplishment.
-to plan development consciously. And this is only possible when the process of development is fully understood.
– to collect feedback, suggestions, initiatives , improvements, new strategies and new forms of organizations.
The process
The Seven Phases System © Marinus Jan Marijs
This is an introduction how the intervision process by the team members to participants looks like. The basic issues of the intervision are presented and discussed. One should carefully introduce the concepts, the way they functioned, purposes and the expected results to the involved participants.
This system is aimed at the collective (sociocultural) transformations of society.
① Selected hierarchies
The Selected hierarchies will be presented to the participants.
Explanations are given about the different developmental lines.
② Levels
A team member will explain and give some examples the developmental levels that form successive steps in a stratified structure.
Here the participants will be asked of the developmental levels that form successive steps in a stratified structure.
Here the participants will be asked at which level of the selected hierarchies, they would place the socio-cultural development of the society, the societal subsystem or company which one investigates.
So for every hierarchy/developmental line a level is indicated:
For example:
Technologies that are developed and implemented: level 5
Standards of living: level 4
Housing and basic facilities: level 5
Education: level 6
Communication systems: level 7
And so on.
③ Transformations
Here the participants will be asked, how at each of the developmental lines transformations can be realised.
That is to say transformations from the level at which the socio-cultural development now functions, to a higher level.
Together you will search for new methods, innovations, new technologies and so on, ways in which development can be improved; that will make it possible that the speed of social transition from one stage to another increases.
These suggestions, in connection with the data from point ② will be collected for further evaluation.
④ Vertical and lateral development
Vertical development refers to a vertical shift in the level of operations that causes qualitative changes, lateral growth refers to horizontal expansion in the existing plane characterized by quantitative expansion.
Here the participants will be asked, how at each of developmental lines horizontal expansion in the existing plane/ level can be realised.
Such as apply at a large scale, better information, improved product development, improved distribution, changing of ideology, cultural span improved social conditions and so on.
These suggestions, will be collected for further evaluation.
⑤ Cross connections
Progress can be realised through advances in technology, science, and social organization.
That is, people can become better in terms of quality of life (social progress) through economic development (modernization), and the application of science and technology (scientific progress). These factors are in reciprocal relationship, interacting upon one another.
Here the participants will be asked, how each of the developmental lines interact upon each other, and how improvement related to these interactions can be realised, and identify hindrances that slow or neutralize progress.
Further will be asked which relevant hierarchies/developmental lines should be added,
and which elements within the presented hierarchies/developmental lines could be changed or improved?
These suggestions, will be collected for further evaluation.
⑥ Feedback
Team members will bring the collected data back to the team.
⑦ Feedback integrated and solutions applied
The team now summarises the input of the participants; selects relevant information, suggestions and evaluates the data and discusses alternatives.
If necessary experts with relevant education/ training or experience in related fields (understanding the issues discussed, familiar with situation) or from different professional disciplines should be consulted. The team now determines how the improvements can effectively be applied.
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The aim of this Seven Phases System, is – beyond making people aware of the sociocultural structure and the processes involved – to use the collective intelligence of many individuals.
It’s important to get new insights, and to learn through feedback, to produce new knowledge and insights for improvement of the process.
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Some general remarks for facilitating/supporting the process:
Generally a personal introduction is more effective than just sending written information. The first step could be an e-mail or letter to all staff involved, explaining the concept and plan, including the guidelines as attachment.
Prepare a short presentation describing the issues or cases, their core elements and the relevant questions (what answers one is looking for).
Discuss the problem/case: The chairperson asks the participants for clues and suggestions how to deal effectively with the problems or cases, how to change/improve or how to change the approach to it.
The participants will be invited to come up with suggestions and clues tips how, possibly together, the issues or cases could be dealt with and to reflect on these clues and suggestions.
Try to formulate/propose a general agreement on conclusions regarding the way how the presented problems/cases should be dealt with.
Ask participants to give input, i.e. proposing topics and/or cases to discuss.
Have the participants chosen the topics/cases for the session.
(e.g. by participants giving input).
Ask participants for clues and suggestions how to effectively deal with the issues or cases.
Formulate conclusions based on the input of the participants.
