Complexity Theory

Photo: Mindwalker

Our work, and approaches we use to support the development of organizations and individuals, are based on interpretation of Organizations as Complex Adaptive Systems.

We all live immersed in this type of systems!

For a long time scientists have observed the universe as a linear space, with simple rules of cause and effect. The universe and other social systems, how organizations were conceived as machines, composed of parts. The idea was that each party could be working on improving the functioning of the whole. It was soon clear that this way of interpreting reality is not effective.

Gradually, the exploration of quantum physics, and the operation of the particles of the atom, led to new awareness, very different from simple linear rules of cause and effect.

Born the Complexity Theory, a theory based on reports, emergency (to express what emerges), order and iterations.

One theory holds that the universe is a system composed of other systems: weather systems, immune, social (organizations), and that these systems are complex and are adapted continuously to the surrounding environment.

Gil agents of the system are its components. For example, people in an organization. (or the flora and fauna in an ecosystem).

The agents are connected to each other and interact with each other in unpredictable ways and not planned.

But from these countless interactions regularities emerge that form patterns that return information to the system and guide the interactions of its components. Think of the corporate culture in organizations, the famous saying: "Here we do so".

These are some features of complex systems.

• The power to create change is not just the top of the hierarchy, but is distributed. So also the power to prevent change.
• It is the individual who has the greater importance, but the relationships between individuals.
• All persons are agents that affect, and are influenced by, all other. No one is out of the system, and this includes the leaders. Leaders with high sensitivity and ability to understand the circumstances, know that their behavior is just one of the factors that drive the system.
• Everyone can only act locally, including leaders. In complex systems, detailed plans expressed from, are replaced by minimum and adequate autonomy because individuals can self-organize.
• Among the factors that influence the organizational creativity there are the flow of information, Diversity, connectivity, power differences, anxiety. Most organizations have information flows and diversity too small, and too many disparities in the distribution of power.

And here in more detail some of the most important properties of complex adaptive systems.

Emergency.Rather than interact in a controlled and planned, agents of the system act in ways seemingly random. These interactions take the form (emerge) patterns that guide the behavior of the agents and the whole system. Think about what architectural marvel is a termite, rich in steps of links, caves and tunnel ventilation. There is no plan, Hill emerges as a result of the work of termites following a few simple rules.

Co-evolution.All systems exist within their environment and are part. So, when the environment changes, systems also need to change and adapt. And since they are part of the environment, when they change, change the environment around, and again, with the change of this, again they must adapt, in a constant process. (Think about how organizations change business models when conditions change in their environment: technologies, company, culture).

Sub-optimal.A complex adaptive system must not be perfect in order to thrive in its environment. It 's enough that it is slightly better than its competitors; all energy used to improve beyond this threshold is wasted.

He needs variety.The greater diversity within the system, This is the most powerful. Ambiguities and paradoxes abound in complex adaptive systems and create new opportunities for co-development with the environment. Democracy is a good example: its strength comes from tolerance, and searching for a variety of perspectives policies.

Connectivity.The ways in which agents in a system connect and relate is critical for the survival of the system. In fact there are connections, communication, that allow patterns to emerge and take shape, and return feedback to agents. The relationships between the agents are more important than the agents themselves. In organizations this means that relationships are more important than individual, means that the complexity and leads to the centrality of people in the leadership practices, and celebrating diversity, the opening and the integrity.

Simple rules.The complex adaptive systems are not complicated. The patterns that emerge can have a great articulation, but the rules governing the functions of a system are quite simple. A classic example: all systems where the water is part, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, oceani, are guided by the simple rule that water finds its level.

Iteration.Small changes in initial conditions of the system can have significant effects when they crossed the stream several times emergency-feedback. (Probably know the butterfly effect).

Self-organization.There is a hierarchy of command and control in a complex adaptive system. There is no planning, there is no management. There is a constant work of re-organization to find the best set in the environment. Think of a city, sommassimo if all food supplies and were to divide by the number of citizens, find that we have two weeks of inventory. But no one has made a plan to supply food for the city, there is a manager for this, or a control system. The system self-organizes on the basis of stimuli and information that each produces.

Facilitative leadership. The high propensity to self-organization does not mean that leaders can stop worrying. Rather, their role is to create conditions for the system to achieve its full potential.

Orlo Chaos.In complexity theory, systems exist within a spectrum of conditions ranging from equilibrium to chaos. An equilibrium system is devoid of internal dynamics, which enable them to respond quickly to the environment. Typically this will cease to exist. A system in chaos ceases to function as such. The production has been more precisely to "edge of chaos", close to chaos, but not in chaos, the condition in which there is the greatest variety and creativity that lead to new possibilities. In this condition small changes can create big opportunities.

Each system is part of a larger system.Consider the example of the city and Food Supply. Each store has a system with its people, Customers, suppliers. And is a system that belongs to the food system of the city, which in turn belongs to his country's food system. Belongs to the retail distribution systems, local and national, and the local economy, regional, national, world.

The complex adaptive systems are all around us. Most of the things we take for granted are complex adaptive systems, and agents in each system are totally ignoring the concept of which we treat, but this does not prevent their contribution to the system.   Adaptive complex systems are a model to interpret the world around us, not a model for predicting what will happen.   almost all situations Which can be read through the lens of "complex adaptive systems" and this approach opens up a variety of options and choices that are otherwise difficult to imagine.

Bibliographic notice.

The main inspirations from the complexity I from Margaret Wheatley and Dave Snowden. From both I learned a lot. This summary was created by many of the members mentioned in this bibliography.