Balance-Critical Development
We developed the concept of Balance-Critical Development as a scientifically sound framework to describe, understand and anticipate the dynamics of change and development.
The framework is based on three dimensions that are fundamental to human action. These are
(1) the cognitive dimension that allows us to perceive the world we live in (implicit vs. explicit),
(2) the social dimension of our activities (individual vs. collective), and
(3) the pragmatic dimension of identity building (self vs. environment).
The dimensions contribute to the three-dimensional configuration of the model, forming a generic framework that allows us to describe, analyse, and forecast development in complex systems (individuals as well as companies, institutions, and networks).
By employing the heuristic potential of the model, we can identify crucial tensions that may lead to constructive and innovative outcomes or, at the other extreme, have impeding or even paralysing consequences. An effective balancing of activities within the dynamics that our framework shows is critical to successfully engage in developmental processes, whether of individuals and organisations.