Small Wins
Redefining the Scale of Social Problems
Karl E. Weick
ABSTRACT: The massive scale on which social problems are conceived precludes innovative action because
bounded rationality is exceeded and dysfunctional
levels of arousal are induced. Reformulation of social
issues as mere problems allows for a strategy of small
wins wherein a series of concrete, complete outcomes
of moderate importance build a pattern that attracts
allies and deters opponents. The strategy of small wins
incorporates sound psychology and is sensitive to the
pragmatics of policymaking.
There is widespread agreement that social science
research has done relatively little to solve social problems (Berger, 1976; Cook, 1979; Kohn, 1976). Common to these assessments is the assumption that social
science is best suited to generate solutions, when in
fact it may be better equipped to address how problems get denned in the first place.
A shift of attention away from outcomes toward
inputs is not trivial, because the content of appropriate
solutions is often implied by the definition of what
needs to be solved. To focus on the process of problem
definition is to incorporate a more substantial portion
of psychology, specifically, its understanding of processes of appraisal, social construction of reality,
problem finding, and definition of the situation.
Whether social problems are perceived as phenomena that have a serious negative impact on sizable
segments of society (Kohn, 1976, p. 94), as substantial
discrepancies between widely shared social standards
and actual conditions of life (Merton, 1971), or as
assertions of grievances or claims with respect to alleged conditions (Spector & Kitsuse, 1977, p. 75),
there is agreement that they are big problems. And
that's the problem.
The massive scale on which social problems are
conceived often precludes innovative action because
the limits of bounded rationality are exceeded and
arousal is raised to...
