Properties of
Complex Systems:
Tradeoffs
Chaos
Self-organizing
Bounded rationality
Resilient
Hierarchical
Tradeoffs
A tradeoff is a choice between
two or more alternatives
of relatively equal value
DID YOU EVER HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND?
by the Lovin’ Spoonful
Did you ever have to make up your mind?
Pick up on one and leave the other behind
It's not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?
And then you know you'd better make up your mind
Pick up on one and leave the other behind
It's not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?
Did you ever have to finally decide?
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?
Sometimes you really dig a girl the moment you kiss her
And then you get distracted by her older sister
When in walks her father and takes you aside
And says, "You better go home, son, and make up your mind"
Sometimes there's one with big blue eyes, cute as a bunny
With hair down to here, and plenty of money
And just when you think she's that one in the world
You heart gets stolen by some mousey little girl
And then you bet you'd better finally decide
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?
Chaos in Systems
Importance:
• Disorder can be the source of order
• Growth is found in disequilibrium, not in balance
Dynamics:
• New information disturbs the system in its current form
• This causes the system to become unstable
• When maximum instability is reached, the system is at a crossroad between death
and creative reordering
• This is the bifurcation point. Two choices:
a. The system can disintegrate (death)
b. The system can reconfigure itself (self-organize) to a higher level of complexity
to better deal with its new environment.
Chaos theory from a systems perspective:
• The dynamic factors that disturb the equilibrium can play a crucial role in
creating new forms of order.
• Chaos can be necessary for an organization’s growth. In the process of chaos,
energy is created that is used to restructure the organization.
• The more freedom in an organization, the more opportunity it has to
restructure. Control is not order in an organization.
• An organization that has its own internal stability has openness to its
environment. It does not quickly react to environmental disturbances. It is
sensitive to the environment, and still resilient to it.
Characteristics of self-organizing systems
• They avoid rigid or permanent solutions
• They change to a changing environment
• They develop the capacity to respond with greater flexibility
• They create structures that fit the moment
• Stasis, balance, and equilibrium are temporary states. What
endures is a dynamic, adaptive, and creative process.