Thesis (S.M. in Engineering and Management)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Pages 198 and 199 are blank. Vita.Includes bibliographical references (pages 183-194).It is possible to categorize four contemporary challenges as the greatest threats to global well-being and the persistence of humankind. These challenges are global climate and ecological change, poor human health management, violence (or the absence of peace), and poverty and hunger. If our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are to survive in a peaceful world where fruitful progress can occur, these contemporary global challenges must be addressed thoughtfully and collectively as a human species. It is the contention of this paper that there exists an optimal and necessary set of requirements and conditions (at a global and organizational level) that give us the greatest probability of success in tackling these most urgent human challenges. The goal of this thesis is to prove this hypothesis and that these conditions can be explained by causal models as well as empirically tested through historical application and validation and direct application on a real world situation. A simple model for assessment of potential success for addressing the most challenging human endeavors is delivered. Sub-goals include presenting an analysis of the current global approaches to solving the major human challenges and how they can be improved.by Anando A. Chowdhury.S.M.in Engineering and Managemen
