Governancing development in the Andes: From wicked problem to clumsy solutions via messy institutions

Recent protests in Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile, as well as tense elections in Peru, Ecuador, and Chile, suggest strong polarization. At their heart lies a dispute for the development model. The plurality of factions and vindications underscore the plurality of development notions, rendering the situation a wicked problem. Grid group cultural theory makes sense of such complexity, identifying four irreducible cultures and their respective development models—illustrated by neoliberalism, the developmental state, multiple alternatives such as Sumak Kawsay, and a chimera. To address this problem effectively and legitimately, all models must be engaged to produce clumsy solutions. Further, each culture has its own pathway to harness this plurality. These are messy institutions whose shape, as well as that of clumsy development models, will depend on the relative power of each culture and the context in which they are located. It could be beneficial to incorporate these insights into research on and the practice of development governance in the Andean Region.