Mid Sweden University

Purpose

If not now, when? The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are getting increasing attention, and there is an acknowledgement that the challenges ahead, as well as the solutions needed, often are complex. In contrast, the historical strengths of Quality Management (QM) have been in situations when cause-effect relations can be analyzed and understood, when technical expertise can provide the answer, where the application of “best practice” is helpful, where order is a virtue. When dealing with complexity, leaders who are tempted to impose this kind of command-and-control style will often fail. Success rather comes from setting the stage, stepping back a bit, allowing patterns to emerge, curiously tracking what takes place, spreading what is being learned, and scaling up success. Such a leadership and practice has been referred to as the fourth and called for “Emergence Paradigm” of QM. The purpose of this paper is to contribute with knowledge concerning how the Emergence Paradigm of QM comes into play when getting organizations and the world to take action on Agenda 2030.

Methodology/Approach

The paper is based on dialogic action research and presents the case and emergent process of 60 Swedish authorities getting to collective action on Agenda 2030.

Findings

The paper highlights how QM may contribute to realizing the Agenda 2030 by dynamically combining the strengths of the past paradigms with new practices and mind-sets related to complexity and emergence.

Value of the paper

The paper provides new insights that may help to take the bold and transformative steps urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path.