Aleks Krasavcev Every wicked problem is symptom of another problem. This is the case for the issue of consumption.

In fact, part of the problem in identifying a solution is that consumption is not a problem that exists in isolation. Rather, consumption is both a result and symptom of other problems. As Norman (1997) states consumption has now joined a triad of problems which include development, population and environment. In the case of the brief, we can associate over consumption partly with the rate at which the population is growing. The World watch Institute Tucker (2006) predicts that the population could grow from 6.5 billion to 12 billion in the twenty-first century. Consumption growth is especially seen in developing countries like Asia, China and India whose economic growth and reduced consumer prices lead towards growing number of goods and services purchased by those economies McMichael (2008). Further, Meade (2011) suggests that developing countries like China indicted and Mexico are now consuming over half of United States agricultural, which Katusa (2010) predicts that Indias coal consumption will reach 653 million tonnes this year. Another characteristic of a wicked problem is that there is no immediate solution to increasing levels of global consumption. For the last three decades governments have been trying to develop working solutions to the problem, but so far no permanent solutions have been ascertained McMichael (2008). There is a continuing need to develop and implement new policies to encourage sustainable consumption and ways to change consumption patterns. In the 1990s the United Nation realised the catastrophic effect that rising environmental problems represented and responded with developing 10 year consumption motivated legislation that covered emission and compulsory energy cataloguing (see Annukka 2011). However, the lack of control and time limits has reduced the effectiveness of these plans. One of central tensions the wicked problem of consumption poses for business can be analysed through looking at the impacts of growing consumer demand. Businesses face the tension of whether on the one hand they will capitalise on the growing consumer demand and hence, grow profits in the short term; or whether they should be concerned about the long term impacts and sustainability of their practices. Milton Friedman (1970) argued that the Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. By nature business is money making mechanism and in theory increasing consumption could mean opportunity to make more profits. However, increasing demand put business sustainability at risk because they have to produce more goods and service, and therefore use more resources (Norman, 1997). Businesses faced with both ethical and financial dilemma. Another central tension is financial violability of the business. The (Author YEAR) says the currently use of resources by organisations is both uneconomical and unsustainable. Businesses must realise that they cannot operate any longer on the old model of business as usual and have too develop sustainable approaches to reduce waste and to better utilise their resources. especially faced with growing pressure from the government with new policies and laws that govern amount of resources and waste business can use and produce, applying heavy fines and taxes on businesses not meting regulation. Also, social demand from consumers for products to be eco-friendly forces business more than ever to develop and adopt sustainable consumption approach to stay in business Unruh (2010).

Aleks Krasavcev

Reference: Annukka , K M, 2011. Journal of Consumer Policy.Publisher Springer Science & Business Media, 9,1, 9-23. Birgit Meade, Andrew Muhammad, Nicholas Rada. (2011). Income Growth in Developing Countries Can Increase U.S. Agricultural Exports. Amber Waves.9, 18-25. Katusa, K M, 2010. China and India: Still Hungry for Coal. Forbes, [Online]. Available at: http://blogs.forbes.com/energysource/2010/09/10/china-and-india-still-hungry-for-coal/urnal-article [Accessed 24 March 2011]. McMichael, M A, 2008. Population, Human Resources, Health, andthe Environment: Getting the Balance Right. Environment, 50, 1, 47-59. Milton Friedman. 1970. The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.colorado.edu/studentgroups/libertarians/issues/friedman-soc-respbusiness.html. [Accessed 24 March 11]. Norman, N M, 1997. Consumption: Challenge to sustainable development.... Science, 5309, 53-55 Tucker, T P, 2006. Strategies for Containing Population Growth.The Futurist, 40, 5, 13-14 Unruh, U G, 2010. Sustainable Consumption Rising on the Business Agenda. Forbes, [Online]. Available at: http://blogs.forbes.com/csr/2010/09/08/sustainable-consumption-rising-on-the-businessagenda/ [Accessed 24 March 2011].