Final published version
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - How to Support Synergic Action for Transformation
T2 - Insights from Expert Practitioners and the Importance of Intentionality
AU - Om, Eugyen Suzanne
AU - Fazey, Ioan
AU - Tyfield, David
AU - Eyre, Lee
AU - Cooper, Mick
AU - Carmen, Esther
AU - Jackson, Declan
AU - Fearnley, James
AU - Ritter, Luea
AU - Newman, Rebecca
AU - Cousquer, Stefan
PY - 2025/8/3
Y1 - 2025/8/3
N2 - A global poly-crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, dwindling natural resources, geopolitical instability, among other complex challenges, is on the rise. Societal transformations are therefore imminent, whether intended or unintended. The key question is how to steward and facilitate such changes where fragmentation and siloed ways of working persist. The concept of synergies and the notion of synergic action could help overcome fragmented efforts to steer transformative changes. However, there exists a critical research gap in understanding the conditions needed to enable synergic action. This paper thus explores how synergic action is currently undertaken and the key essentials needed to deliver synergic action. The study uses a case study of the Yorkshire food system transformation to learn from its exemplar practitioners. The study used semi-structured interviews and a thematic analysis process to reach our two key findings. First, we highlight the three types of synergic action: (1) Non-systemic synergic action, (2) Non-systemic synergic action with multiple outcomes, and (3) Systemic synergic action. Differentiating types of synergic action can help identify where synergic action is already underway and guide more explicit efforts towards transformative change. The second key finding is the five essentials for synergic action, which are (1) leadership for synergic action; (2) networking, partnerships, and collaborations; (3) care and understanding; (4) a systems approach; and (5) intentionality for synergic action. This study brings to the fore the importance of intentionality, without which the first four essentials are less likely to coalesce. This is important to inform the reflection and learning of practitioners of systemic change about how they are currently and could be working more synergistically in the future, driven by clear intentionality.
AB - A global poly-crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, dwindling natural resources, geopolitical instability, among other complex challenges, is on the rise. Societal transformations are therefore imminent, whether intended or unintended. The key question is how to steward and facilitate such changes where fragmentation and siloed ways of working persist. The concept of synergies and the notion of synergic action could help overcome fragmented efforts to steer transformative changes. However, there exists a critical research gap in understanding the conditions needed to enable synergic action. This paper thus explores how synergic action is currently undertaken and the key essentials needed to deliver synergic action. The study uses a case study of the Yorkshire food system transformation to learn from its exemplar practitioners. The study used semi-structured interviews and a thematic analysis process to reach our two key findings. First, we highlight the three types of synergic action: (1) Non-systemic synergic action, (2) Non-systemic synergic action with multiple outcomes, and (3) Systemic synergic action. Differentiating types of synergic action can help identify where synergic action is already underway and guide more explicit efforts towards transformative change. The second key finding is the five essentials for synergic action, which are (1) leadership for synergic action; (2) networking, partnerships, and collaborations; (3) care and understanding; (4) a systems approach; and (5) intentionality for synergic action. This study brings to the fore the importance of intentionality, without which the first four essentials are less likely to coalesce. This is important to inform the reflection and learning of practitioners of systemic change about how they are currently and could be working more synergistically in the future, driven by clear intentionality.
U2 - 10.3390/su17157043
DO - 10.3390/su17157043
M3 - Journal article
VL - 17
JO - Sustainability
JF - Sustainability
SN - 2071-1050
IS - 15
M1 - 7043
ER -