ABSTRACT
Policy problems such as environmental and economic issues that planners have to deal with can be seen as ‘wicked problems’. According to Rittel and Webber (1973), there is a set of policy problems that cannot be resolved with traditional linear analytical approaches. This is because these problems tend to be found in an evolving set of interlocking issues and constraints. Each attempt to create a solution may reveal another, more complex problem. This means that formulating the problem and the solution is essentially the same thing, and there is no definitive statement of the problems. Another important characteristic of wicked problems is that they are always embedded in a dynamic social context, which makes each problem unique. Within this broad context, there are many stakeholders who are, nevertheless, interested in resolving the problems. However, the social complexity of these problems makes it difficult to achieve consensus over whatever solutions emerge.
