Exploring Knowledge System Synergies for Integrated Decision Making

Abstract

Sustainability decision making is ineffective unless it is based in a holistic context; beyond the immediate horizon of conventional western thinking. Decision making is at the centre of sustainability outcomes, and a fundamental requirement of good decision making is a process that ensures the holistic consideration of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social well-being alluded to above in terms of integrated holistic approaches. The historic competition of Western Science with Indigenous Knowledge systems has perpetuated a paradigm of exclusion preventing the earlier combination of these taonga in a collaborative fashion for the good of all. By acknowledging the inherent strength in diversity, this paper demonstrates the potential gains possible, introducing a decision making framework that communicates sustainability issues equally well in the indigenous and scientific paradigms. Although sustainability assessment in Aotearoa NZ takes a fourfold focus based on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social well-being, limitations are evident when the decision making is dominated by economic rationalism. Such decision making does not effectively represent spiritual values, in that outcomes ignorant of spiritual implications, continue the historic debasement of our ecosystems, cultures, and societies. Mauri is an alternative metric for decision making. Mauri is about relationships in the sense that the world would be a disconnected collection of parts without it. Mauri is considered as a potential metric for multi-criterion decision making. The Mauri Model integrates the mauri of ecosystems, hapū (tribes), whanau (families), and communities; as a unique performance metric common to the sustainability dimensions identified in Aotearoa NZ legislation.