Challenges for Sustainability in the MICE System

Complexitiy and Changing Adaptive Systems

Abstract

The meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) sector has been a leader in the adoption of sustainability practices, but challenges remain. This paper addresses several of the challenges facing MICE as it works to become more sustainable. The paper examines the complexity of operationalizing sustainability in a way that supports ongoing performance management. The paper also outlines the usefulness of systems thinking when considering MICE, a complex, adaptive system (CAS), and examines the implications of this approach when seeking to support change toward sustainability in both components of the system and in the system as a whole.