Beyond the Buzzword: Systems Change in Language, Planning and Practice

Long read - a blog from IVAR's recent intern

Written in April 2025 by: Lara Bautista

The Power and Pitfalls of Language in Social Change

On International Women’s Day this year, a curious post on my Instagram feed caught my eye. A trendy café in my area had launched a campaign proclaiming: “Join the movement to empower women! Buy a coffee today and tag us in a photo of yourself enjoying it!”. It was a striking example of how powerful concepts – like empowerment – can sometimes be reduced to marketing tools, detached from meaningful action.

While this example is light-hearted, it reflects a broader challenge in the world of social action and social change: ensuring that the language used remains purposeful, actionable, and aligned with real change. Buzzwords and fuzzwords (terminology that sounds impactful but that lacks clear definition or commitment) are not just a branding issue; they can influence the way work is designed, implemented and evaluated.

One such idea that continues to gain significant traction in the social sector is ‘systems change’. This carries a compelling promise: tackling root causes of social issues rather than just their symptoms – how, however do you ensure that systems change remains a meaningful concept rather than a vague aspiration?

Buzzwords, Fuzzwords, and the Challenge of Clarity

Drawing on my research background in international development, Andrea Cornwall’s (2007) work on buzzwords and fuzzwords came to mind as a useful framework for understanding how language shapes action.

• Buzzwords are trendy terms used to frame problems and solutions in ways that can create a false sense of legitimacy or urgency. They can sometimes obscure complexity or mask a lack of substantive action.
• Fuzzwords are intentionally broad and open to interpretation, often used to avoid clear commitments, or allow for differing definitions within a sector. This flexibility can be useful but can also make it difficult to hold initiatives accountable or measure progress.

The international development sector has long grappled with terms like poverty reduction, citizenship, and humanitarian crisis – words that convey urgency but often lack a shared, actionable meaning. Similarly, within community development and the voluntary sector organisations engaged in this work, terms such as empowerment, participation, and equity are frequently used but can sometimes remain abstract unless paired with tangible strategies. So where does systems change fit into this discussion?

Systems Change: A Concept at a Crossroads

During my internship at IVAR, I was involved in several projects that referenced systems change. I found myself repeatedly asking: What does systems change actually look like in practice?

Definitions exist. For example, Catalyst 2030 describes systems change as:

“Confronting root causes of issues (rather than symptoms) by transforming structures, customs, mindsets, power dynamics and policies, and strengthening collective power through collaboration.”

Similarly, IVAR draws on the work of academics in this field to describe systems change work as “efforts to tackle root causes of issues (rather than symptoms) by transforming structures, customs, mindsets, power dynamics and policies”.[1]

One of the biggest challenges facing systems change efforts is fragmentation – where different organisations and initiatives operate in silos, using varied definitions and approaches that lack alignment. Without the articulation of a shared approach or understanding, systems change risks becoming a fuzzword, open to interpretation in ways that dilute its impact, or a buzzword – widely referenced but inconsistently applied, making it difficult to translate intention into impact. So what can be done to ensure systems change remains actionable and not just a compelling idea?

Moving from Concept to Action: A Social Justice Framework for Systems Change

Alison Badgett (2022), Director of the PKG Public Service Centre at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, outlines a social justice framework for systems change planning, structured around the interconnected levels at which systemic inequity operates:

• Individual level: Shaping personal mindsets, skills, and opportunities
• Institutional level: Addressing organisational policies, structures, and power dynamics
• Societal level: Transforming cultural norms, public discourse, and systemic policies

For systems change to be more than just rhetoric, efforts must be intentionally designed to engage all three levels in a coordinated way. Too often, initiatives focus on only one level, providing direct services without addressing structural barriers or advocating for policy shifts without supporting those impacted by the current system. This fragmented approach may lead to short-term gains but fails to shift the system as a whole.

Badgett’s framework offers a critical safeguard against fragmentation, ensuring that systems change efforts reinforce rather than compete with one another. Without this alignment, systems change risks becoming a buzzword—widely cited yet inconsistently applied – or a fuzzword – so broad it becomes meaningless.

A truly joined-up approach requires deliberate collaboration across different levels and sectors. When organisations structure their initiatives to operate interdependently rather than in isolation, they can reduce duplication, amplify impact, and create sustained transformation rather than scattered interventions.

This social justice framework exemplifies deliberate and intentional collaboration, offering a potential model for voluntary sector organisations and funders to consider and build upon in their own systems change planning. By embedding this structured, multi-layered approach into their work, organisations can move beyond aspirational language and ensure that systems change materialises as an interconnected process towards a tangible, measurable, and lasting reality.

Key Questions for Strengthening Systems Change Efforts

The literature suggests some questions that can be helpful in designing and planning systems change efforts:

Who decides which systems need changing? Are these decisions made with, or on behalf of, affected communities?

How can collaboration be structured equitably? Are diverse voices – especially those with lived experience – actively shaping the approach?

How to balance disruption and collaboration?

One of the biggest challenges in making systems change truly effective is that sectoral transformation often depends on broader societal shifts. However, while radical shifts are often needed, long-term impact may require engaging with existing institutions rather than working solely outside of them. Moreover, the social sector plays a critical role not only in reshaping its own practices but also in influencing public attitudes and policy. This interplay between sectoral and societal change raises a key question: How can organisations balance the need for radical transformation with the practical necessity of engaging with existing institutions?

Conclusion: Systems Change as a Process and an Outcome

Systems change carries enormous potential, but without clear definitions, alignment, and intentional action, it risks becoming another buzzword. To ensure impact, efforts must be structured, multi-level, and collaborative, addressing change at the individual, institutional, and societal levels.

Badgett’s social justice framework offers a promising model for more joined-up systems change planning, countering fragmentation and fostering coordinated, sustained impact. For the social sector, this means:

• Defining clear, measurable goals to move beyond rhetoric
• Embedding multi-level strategies to create long-term transformation
• Ensuring equitable collaboration, centring those with lived experience

Systems change is both a process and an outcome – requiring sustained effort, shared accountability, and cross-sector coordination. By taking these steps, organisations can ensure that systems change remains more than just a compelling phrase. Instead, it can serve as a guiding framework for creating real, lasting transformation – both within and beyond the social sector.

[1] Holland, J. H. (1998) Emergence: From Chaos to Order. New York: Basic Books, 1998

References

Badgett, A. (2022) ‘Systems change: Making the aspirational actionable’, Stanford Social Innovation Review, 19 September. Available at: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/systems_change_making_the_aspirational_actionable (Accessed: 2 April 2025).

Cairns, B., et al. (2024) ‘Funding for systems change: The story of Barrow Cadbury Trust’s transition to adulthood campaign’. Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR). Available at: https://www.ivar.org.uk/publication/funding-for-systems-change-the-story-of-barrow-cadbury-trusts-transition-to-adulthood-campaign/ (Accessed: 2 April 2025).

Catalyst 2030 (n.d.) ‘What is systems change?’. Catalyst 2030. Available at: https://catalyst2030.net/what-is-systems-change/ (Accessed: 2 April 2025).

Cornwall, A. (2007) ‘Buzzwords and fuzzwords: deconstructing development discourse’, Development in Practice, 17 (4-5), pp. 471–484. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25548244 (Accessed: 2 April 2025).

Cornwall, A. and Eade, D. (eds.) (2010) Deconstructing development discourse: Buzzwords and fuzzwords. Oxford: Oxfam GB.

Wright, U. (2019) ‘Systems change is a noun and a verb’. FSG Blog. Available at: https://www.fsg.org/blog/systems-change-noun-and-verb/ (Accessed: 2 April 2025).