These studies in complexity science have concluded that in order to produce
creative, innovative, continually changeable behaviour (i.e. organismal
evolutionary behaviour) systems must operate far from equilibrium where
they are driven by negative and positive feedback to paradoxical states
of stability and unstability, predictability and unpredictability. The transformational
process is one of internal, spontaneous self organization amongst the the
agents of a system, provoked by instability and potentially leading to emergent
order.
ALTERNATIVE VIEWPOINTS TO SYSTEMIC CHOICE AND ECOLOGY
Several viewpoints have been proposed about system dynamics that differ
from those above.
Contradiction, paradox & non equilibrium:
When paradox becomes the central focus, organizations are viewed as non
equilibrium systems with dynamics that are essentially disordered, developing
through political processes in a dialectical manner, displaying one crisis
afer another.
Spontaneous self organization & creative destruction:
In this view, organizations are assumed to be systems, "parts"
of larger environmental systems.
They evolve through a process of creative destruction and spontaneous self
organization. These evolving systems are so complex that agents within them
cannot intend their long term futures. These futures emerge unpredictably
from the interactions between agents in conditions of non equilibrium and
disorder.
Irregularity and disorder as a systemic property:
Irregularity and disorder may occur due to the nature of the system, i.e.
indviduals within the system are allowed to disrupt the institution. This
circular feedback nature of choice, action, and outcome can lead to complex
connection between cause and effect.
Positive feedback:
Systems dynamicists have demonstrated that non linear and positive feedback
loops are fundamental properties of organizational life and that behavioural
patterns can emerge without being intended and in fact often emerge contrary
to intention, producing unexpected and counter intuitive
outcomes.
Bounded instability (deterministic laws)
Complexity index