Holocentric

Holocentric is a philosophical position which focuses on solutions as the outcome of human activity and on critical learning.

One of the four fundamental worldview types proposed by Richard Bawden in 1997, the other three being Technocentric, Ecocentric, and Egocentric.

Drawing on ideas introduced by Burrell and Morgan and Miller, Bawden developed the notion of a worldview matrix in which the four viewpoints represent the basic philosophical positions of members in a community of interest considering an ontological dimension (with holism and reductionism along the x axis) and an epistemological dimension (with objectivism and relativism along the y axis).

The so-called, Miller / Bawden Quadrants can be utilized as a framework to assist in the collaborative dialog of any cooperative endeavor and the positioning of the holocentric quadrant at the intersection of holism and relativism distinguishes it uniquely as a view which accommodates both the complex and often non-specific interactions that lie at the heart of any social group.

In a community’s response to threats and opportunities, the formulation of strategy will typically evolve through a dialog between stakeholder members holding different viewpoints. In a holocentric approach, the resulting strategy will include holistic characteristics in that the solution will reflect the constituent positions within the community with the addition of the creative tension that is contributed through the negotiation process. Through the dialog process, emergent properties arise in the strategy due to the interplay between the various stakeholder viewpoints.

In order to improve the effectiveness of a community’s responses, consideration must be given to techniques which can deal with complex systems and the advancement of critical thinking skills. Such techniques often employ aspects of systems thinking to help community members better appreciate and deal with the complex interdependencies and conflicts that arise between stakeholder views.

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