Complexity - the simple path to success in development | Owen Barder | Global development | guardian.co.uk: "Complexity - the simple path to success in development
The development industry lacks mechanisms which are common in successful complex systems, such as specialisation and exchange, and feedback, which drives out poor performance and scales up success"
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tunisia: A Digitally-Driven, Leaderless Revolution
Tunisia: A Digitally-Driven, Leaderless Revolution: "5. Rapid evolution of self-assembling dynamic networks in streets enabled in digital space"
Monday, January 3, 2011
Science advisers must open up about uncertainties - SciDev.Net
Science advisers must open up about uncertainties - SciDev.Net: "There is a need to move from a narrow focus on risk to broader and deeper understanding of incomplete knowledge, he argues. Accepting that knowledge is complex by nature promises to deliver guidance that is more rigorous and robust, leaving policymakers accountable for their decisions."
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Control Information
Control Information: "Control information has a number of distinctive properties. First and foremost, it does not have any independent existence. It is not a concrete thing, or a mechanism. It is defined (and specified) by the relationship between a particular cybernetic system (a user) and his/her/its environment(s) – external and internal. In this paradigm, the environment contains latent or potential control information (which we designate “Ip”), but this potential does not differ in any way from the physical properties of the environment. This is a crucial point; there are no discrete embedded properties out there. Moreover, this potential is only actualized when a purposeful (cybernetic) system makes use of it. In other words, the very existence and functional effects produced by control information are always context-dependent and user-specific. A few examples may help to clarify this seemingly paradoxical, even counter-intuitive notion:"
Complexity thinking
Complexity thinking: "The innovative breakthrough of Complexity and Chaos theory has illuminated a new way of thinking - complexity thinking, with much greater capacity for understanding complex phenomena and processes than systems thinking.
With complexity thinking, seemingly chaotic unfolding of life in nature and society is seen as a manifestation of creativity inherent in the all-embracing wholeness of existence. The way creativity 'speaks' is through the spontaneity of emergence, through the power of self-organization and evolution. Every single embryo, nay, every single germ emerges out of complex dynamic interaction of substances, forces and energies of different nature and with different degrees of interwovenness and intensity. Once emerged, the germ evolves in a unique rhythm that reflects the rhythm of the whole universe."
With complexity thinking, seemingly chaotic unfolding of life in nature and society is seen as a manifestation of creativity inherent in the all-embracing wholeness of existence. The way creativity 'speaks' is through the spontaneity of emergence, through the power of self-organization and evolution. Every single embryo, nay, every single germ emerges out of complex dynamic interaction of substances, forces and energies of different nature and with different degrees of interwovenness and intensity. Once emerged, the germ evolves in a unique rhythm that reflects the rhythm of the whole universe."
Systems Thinking - An Operational Perspective of the Universe
Systems Thinking - An Operational Perspective of the Universe: "Systems Thinking
An Operational Perspective of the Universe
Yes, I admit the title may be a bit presumptuous on my part. I do have to start somewhere though, don't I? I suppose the difficulty I have been having with this article is somewhat based on the intimidation factor presented by the great minds that have evolved our understanding to this point. Great minds such as Descartes, Newton, Bertalanffy, Wiener, Bateson, and Forrester. And, should I be so presumptuous as to believe I can add to what they have wrought? So, with humility I continue."
An Operational Perspective of the Universe
Yes, I admit the title may be a bit presumptuous on my part. I do have to start somewhere though, don't I? I suppose the difficulty I have been having with this article is somewhat based on the intimidation factor presented by the great minds that have evolved our understanding to this point. Great minds such as Descartes, Newton, Bertalanffy, Wiener, Bateson, and Forrester. And, should I be so presumptuous as to believe I can add to what they have wrought? So, with humility I continue."
theWay
theWay: "theWay of Systems
theWay is an effectiveness enhancement facility. theWay does not purport to provide answers. theWay provides access to fundamental principles, with supporting information, to develop understanding to support the development of strategies to address situations. Not just any strategies, but strategies which have a very high probability of working when applied. To employ theWay an understanding of Systems and Systems Thinking is essential, as well as how we formulate questions influences the answers we develop."
theWay is an effectiveness enhancement facility. theWay does not purport to provide answers. theWay provides access to fundamental principles, with supporting information, to develop understanding to support the development of strategies to address situations. Not just any strategies, but strategies which have a very high probability of working when applied. To employ theWay an understanding of Systems and Systems Thinking is essential, as well as how we formulate questions influences the answers we develop."
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