Complexity, complicatedness and complexity: A ... - UniGaia-Brasil.org
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Complexity, complicatedness and complexity: A new science behind organizational intervention? If Price )DFLOLWLHV0DQDJHPHQW*UDGXDWH&HQWUH6KHIìHOG+DOODP8QLYHUVLW\8.
This paper explores the origin of costly complexity/complicatedness from a stance in evolutionary complexity. It argues that the tendency to the former is a property of the evolution in the latter. The creation of space, physical and virtual for adaptation may be a managerial solution - one amenable to various interventions which draw upon complexity as a metaphor.
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Introduction: Three senses of complexity
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“[Life is] ... a property of improbable complexity possessed by an entity that works to keep itself out of equilibrium with its environment.” 7RH[DSW'DZNLQVpVPRVWJUDSKLFH[DPSOH D GHDGSDUURWWKURZQLQWRWKHDLUREH\VWKHODZVRISK\V LFVGHVFULEHVDSHUIHFWSDUDERODDQGWKHQIDOOVEDFNWR HDUWK$OLYHRQHGLVDSSHDUVRYHUWKHFRXQW\ERXQGDU\ its component parts working together to maintain WKHLUFROOHFWLYHHQWLW\DJDLQVWWKHIRUFHRIJUDYLW\7KH GHìQLWLRQFDQDOVREHJHQHUDOL]HG2QHVFLHQWLìFPHD VXUHRIWKHFRPSOH[LW\LQDQ\V\VWHPLVWKHGHJUHHWR ZKLFKLWPDLQWDLQVDWKHUPRG\QDPLFGLVHTXLOLEULXP ZLWKLWVHQYLURQPHQW GHìHVLQHIIHFWWKHVHFRQGODZRI WKHUPRG\QDPLFV/LYLQJV\VWHPVZKHWKHUELRORJLFDO RUFXOWXUDOQRWRQO\GLVSOD\WKLVIRUPRIFRPSOH[LW\ WKH\DOVRPDLQWDLQLWRYHUWLPH 7KHVFLHQWLìFPHDVXUHRIFRPSOH[LW\LJQRUHVRI course other senses in which the word has entered the discourse of social and managerial researchers and pracWLWLRQHUV VHQVHVH[SORUHGLQWKLVYROXPHDQGWULJJHUHG LQ QR VPDOO SDUW E\ WKH VFLHQWLìF VWXGLHV RI FRPSOH[ V\VWHPV :DOGURS 3UHGDWLQJWKLVFXUUHQWXVDJH and perhaps for practitioners the common sense understanding of the word, is as a description of the shear cost DQGEXUGHQRIRUJDQL]DWLRQDOEXUHDXFUDF\:RUNLQJLQ DPXOWLQDWLRQDOHQWHUSULVH,HQFRXQWHUHGWKHWHUPoFRVW RIFRPSOH[LW\p DQGRUJDQL]DWLRQDOFRQFHUQDERXWLW ZKHQP\WKHQERVVUHWXUQHGIURPDJURXSPDQDJH PHQWFRQIHUHQFHLQ1RYHPEHU 7KHìUPZDVRQH RIPDQ\PDNLQJDVLPLODUGLVFRYHU\DWWKHVDPHVRUWRI WLPHo&RVWRIFRPSOH[LW\pSURYLGHVDPHWDSKRUIRUWKH IRUPVRIEXVLQHVVFRQFHUQWKDWODXQFKHGLQWKH V PDQ\ PRYHPHQWV IRU RUJDQL]DWLRQDO FKDQJH DQG WKH
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Cui bono: Why the diversity of meaning?
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Organizations as complex adaptive (?) systems
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GHUEXWDOVRWKHPDLQWHQDQFHRIWKDWRUGHURYHUWLPH ,Q JHQHUDO WHUPV WKH ELRWLF DQG WKH DELRWLF GRPDLQV offer two isomorphic meta-groups of CAS. The term adaptiveLVKRZHYHUXQIRUWXQDWHLQWKDWERWKGRPDLQV VSHQGORQJSHULRGVYHHULQJWRZDUGVVHOIPDLQWHQDQFH RU DXWRSRLHVLV :LQRJUDG )ORUHV 0LQJHUV 1994) rather than adaptation. In simple terms a literal FRPSDULVRQRIWKHWZRV\VWHPV VXPPDUL]LQJ3ULFH 1999) is as follows: 1.
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an the memetic stance on that cRPSOH[LW\RIIHU an explanation for the emergence of compliFDWHGQHVV" &DQ LW H[SODLQ WKH HIIHFWLYHQHVV RI LQWHUYHQWLRQV EDVHG RQ FRPSOH[LW\" 7KH DQVZHU LQ ERWKFDVHVVHHPVWREH\HV &RQVLGHU IRU D PRPHQW WKH ELRWLF GRPDLQ and the complex of interacting selfish genes. The DPRXQWRIFRPSOH[LW\QHJDWLYHHQWURS\RUELRPDVV GHYRWHGWRWKHLUUHSOLFDWLRQUDWKHUWKDQWKDWRIVRPH ULYDOFRPSOH[GHWHUPLQHVWKHLUoVXFFHVVp$ELRWLFcomSOH[LW\SURGXFHVQRWELRPDVVEXWWKHFRPELQDWLRQRI NQRZOHGJH DQG DUWLIDFWV WKDW ZH WHUP oZHDOWKp>@ RU oYDOXHDGGHGp6XFFHVVLQVHOìVKUHSOLFDWRUWHUPVPD\ EHFRQVLGHUHGDVWKHDPRXQWRIWKHYDOXHJHQHUDWHGLQD JLYHQHFRQRPLFV\VWHPGLYHUWHGWRWKHUHSOLFDWLRQRID particular meme. Dawkins (1988) has used the example RIWKHOHJDOSURIHVVLRQDVHYLGHQFHRIWKHHPHUJHQFHRI VSRQWDQHRXVFROODERUDWLRQ7ZRRUPRUHPHPEHUVRI WKDWSURIHVVLRQHQJDJHGE\WKHSDUWLHVWRDSDUWLFXODU GLVSXWHWDFLWO\FROODERUDWHLQPDLQWDLQLQJWKHGLVSXWH 7KLVLVQRWWRLPSXJQLQDQ\ZD\WKHSURIHVVLRQDOLQWHJULW\RIHLWKHU%\IROORZLQJWKHJHQHUDOPRUHVDQG FRGHV RI D JLYHQ OHJDO V\VWHP WKHLU SDUWLFXODU OHJDO institutions (sensu 3RZHOO 'L0DJJLR ERWK GLYHUWWRWKDWV\VWHPDQGLWVUHSOLFDWLRQDVKDUHRIWKH YDOXH LQ GLVSXWH 7KLV LV QRW WR VD\ WKDW WKH V\VWHP VHUYHVQRSXUSRVH(FRQRPLVWVZLOODUJXHWKHH[LVWHQFH of a legal framework within which trade can take place DV DQ HVVHQWLDO FRPSRQHQW RI DQ DGYDQFHG HFRQRPLF LQIUDVWUXFWXUH &DVVRQ ,WLVSDUWRIWKHPHPHWLF SDWWHUQWKDWHQDEOHVDSDUWLFXODUIRUPRIZHDOWKFUHDWLQJ VRFLHW\ WR IXQFWLRQ %DONLQpV oSUHYDLOLQJ LGHRORJ\pEXWDOVRVHHNVWRGLYHUWWKDWZHDOWKWRZDUGV its own replication. The complicatedness of the legal GLVSXWHEHQHìWVWKHOHJDOPHPHRUOHJDOPHPHV DQG LWVWKHLUFDUULHUV EXWEHFRPHVYDOXHVXEWUDFWLQJUDWKHU WKDQYDOXHFUHDWLQJ>@ /HVWWKLVVHHPOLNHDQDWWDFNRQODZ\HUVLWLV offered as no more than a simple example of inter-orJDQL]DWLRQDOFRPSOLFDWHGQHVV6XEVHWVRIRWKHUSURIHVVLRQDO PHPHV FRQWULEXWH WR YDOXH JHQHUDWLRQ LQ EXW DOVRYDOXHGLYHUVLRQIURPRWKHUIRUPVRIRUJDQL]DWLRQ $ODUJHRUJDQL]DWLRQDV:HHNVDQG*DOXQLF HPSKDVL]HHQFRPSDVVHVPDQ\PHPHWLFVXEVHWV7HDPV and departments of strategic planners are for example still a common feature of corporate management. The YDOXHWKH\DGGLVGHEDWDEOH0LQW]EHUJ KDVDUJXHGSHUKDSVIRUVRPHUKHWRULFDOHIIHFWWKDWqWKHRQO\ RUJDQL]DWLRQWRKDYHEHQHìWHGIURPVWUDWHJLFSODQQLQJ LVWKHSURIHVVLRQRIVWUDWHJLFSODQQLQJr:KLWWLQJWRQ GUDZVDWWHQWLRQWRWKHWHQGHQF\IRUWKHVL]HRI FRUSRUDWLRQVWRULVHQRWWRWKHSRLQWDWZKLFKEHQHìWV RI VFDOH PD[LPL]H WKH HFRQRPLF UHWXUQ WR LQYHVWRUV EXWWRWKHODUJHVWVL]HPDQDJHPHQWFDQFUHDWHZLWKRXW
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LQYHVWRUVEHFRPLQJGLVVDWLVìHGZLWKWKHLUUHWXUQ7KH FRPSOLFDWHGQHVVRIDGGLWLRQDOJURZWKEHQHìWVDSDUWLFXODUVHWRIPDQDJHULDOPHPHVEXWGLYHUWVUHVRXUFHV WRWKHLUUHSOLFDWLRQUDWKHUWKDQWRWKHSURFHVVRIYDOXH creation. The tendering process referred to earlier justiìHVWKHDFWLYLWLHVRISURFXUHPHQWDQGRWKHUSURIHVVLRQals engaged in the construction and interpretation of contracts and the resolution of the resulting disputes. 3URIHVVLRQDOPHPHVRIYDULRXVNLQGVDUHUHSOLFDWHGDV WKRVHZKRFDUU\WKHPFUHDWHDSHUFHLYHGGHPDQGIRU WKHLUVHUYLFHV7KH(JDQ5HSRUWDQGWKHVXEVHTXHQW PXFKSXEOLFL]HGHIIRUWVE\WKH8.FRQVWUXFWLRQLQGXVWU\WRFKDQJHPDQ\RILWVWUDGLWLRQDOZRUNLQJSUDFWLFHV GUHZPXFKLQVSLUDWLRQIURPWKH&5,1(>@LQLWLDWLYH LQWKH8.pV2IIVKRUH2LOLQGXVWU\7KDWLQLWLDWLYHKDG LWVRULJLQVLQWKHUHDOL]DWLRQWKDWWKHFRPSOLFDWHGQHVV ZKLFKKDGHPHUJHGLQWKHLQGXVWU\LQLWVERRP\HDUV FD KDGSURGXFHGDFRVWVWUXFWXUHLQZKLFK DQHZJHQHUDWLRQRIVPDOOHUìHOGVZRXOGEHLPSRVVLEOH WRGHYHORS7KHEHQHìFLDULHVZHUHWKHOHJLRQRIGLIIHUHQWSURIHVVLRQDOVZKRFRQWULEXWHGWRWKHHPHUJHQFH of such complicatedness[14] and the memes of those particular professions. +HQFH DQRWKHU SURSRVLWLRQ WR DGG WR WKRVH PDGHDERYH &RPSOLFDWHGQHVVWKHYDOXHVXEWUDFWLQJPDQDJHULDO SURIHVVLRQDODGPLQLVWUDWLYH FRPSOH[LW\ IRXQG LQRUJDQL]DWLRQVDQGVXSSO\FKDLQVLVDQLQKHUHQW SURSHUW\RIHPHUJHQWPHPHWLFV\VWHPV 7KLVLVQRWWRVD\WKDWLWZLOOLQHYLWDEO\SHUVLVW 1HZOHVVFRPSOLFDWHGRUJDQL]DWLRQDOIRUPVSURGXFH new market offerings, new space is created for new oIDGVpZKLFKRIIHUWKHSRVVLEOHVROXWLRQWRWKHPDQDJHment of complicatedness and sometimes reactions in WKHZLGHUSROLWLFDORUHFRQRPLFHQYLURQPHQWLPSRVH OLPLWVWRJURZWK2YHUFRPSOLFDWHGRUJDQL]DWLRQVRIten go extinct. Their successors emerge with the same GDQJHURIXQDGDSWLELOLW\
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2QWKHìUVWWKHZHLJKWRIJHRORJLFDOHYLGHQFH LVYHU\GHìQLWHO\RQ*RXOGpVVLGH$JHU SUHVHQWV DUHDGDEOHDFFRXQWZKLOH.DXIIPDQ DOVRPXFK TXRWHG DV GLVSURYLQJ 'DUZLQLVP FRQFHGHV WKDW WKH pattern of geological extinction with time shows a WHQGHQF\WRGHSDUWIURPSXUHoHGJHRIFKDRVpVHOIRUJDQL]DWLRQ%LRORJLFDOREVHUYDWLRQRIVSHFLDWLRQEHLQJ easier in peripheral isolates than in large populations LV FRQVLVWHQW ZLWK WKH SRLQW WKDW D GRPLQDQW V\VWHP RIoVHOìVKJHQHVpZLOOUHVLVWFKDQJHVLIWKH\FDQ 3ULFH 3ULFH 6KDZ FK 2QWKHVHFRQG*RXOG VHHPVRQOHVVVXUHJURXQGDQGPDMRULW\RSLQLRQZRXOG QRZDOLJQEHKLQG+XOOpV RSFLW GLVWLQFWLRQRIUHSOLFDWRUVWKHJHQHVWKHPVHOYHVDQGYHKLFOHVWKHJHQHWLFDOO\HQFRGHGFRQVWUXFWVWKURXJKZKLFKVHOHFWLRQDQG replication is accomplished. 7KHWKLUGSRLQWLVPRUHFRQWHQWLRXV8QGRXEWHGO\ oVRFLDO 'DUZLQLVPp KDV HDUQHG LWV EDG QDPH DV an excuse for eugenics and ethnic cleansing to name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self-replicating meme as a unit of cultural selection FDQEHFRQVLGHUHGRQHRIWKHPDMRUFRXQWHUDUJXPHQWV to genetic determinism which nonetheless remains ZLWKLQWKHVHDUFKIRUDVFLHQWLìFH[SODQDWLRQRIFXOWXUDO FRPSOH[LW\0HPHWLFVLVDFRXQWHUWRWKHIXOOJHQHWLF GHWHUPLQLVPRIHYROXWLRQDU\SV\FKRORJ\ 7KHUH LV WKHQ WKH YLHZ HJ &DSUD *RRGZLQ WKDW FRPSOH[LW\ LQ VRPH ZD\ GLVplaces Darwinism. Species are the result of some form RI HPHUJHQFH DQG FDQQRW EH UHGXFHG WR WKHLU JHQHV 'DZNLQVZKRVHZRUN,KDYHREYLRXVO\GUDZQKHDYLO\ XSRQLVODEHOOHGRQHRIWKHDUFKUHGXFWLRQLVWVGHVSLWH KLVUHIHUHQFHVWRWKHoFRPSOH[LW\pRIWKHIXQFWLRQLQJRI JHQHWLFV\VWHPV)RUPHDWOHDVWVXFKH[SODQDWLRQVPLVV WKHSRLQW7KHUHLVDQHOHJDQWDQGPLQLPDOVLPSOLFLW\LQ seeing information, encoded in auto-replicating strucWXUHVDVWKHXQGHUO\LQJVFKHPDWDIURPZKLFKFRPSOH[ V\VWHPV VHOIFRQVWUXFW 7KH DXWRFDWDO\WLF SURSHUWLHV RIFRPSOH[QHWZRUNV .DXIIPDQ DQGWKH SURSHUWLHV RI DJHQW EDVHG V\VWHPV UHQGHU LW HDVLHU WR
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References $JHU ' 9 The nature of the stratigraphical record, Macmillan Press. $EUDKDPVRQ( q0DQDJHPHQWIDVKLRQrAcademy of Management Review, 21(1): 254-285. %DONLQ-0 Cultural software: A theory of ideology, 1HZ+DYHQ
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Complexity, complicatedness and complexity: A new science behind organizational intervention? If Price )DFLOLWLHV0DQDJHPHQW*UDGXDWH&HQWUH6KHIìHOG+DOODP8QLYHUVLW\8.
This paper explores the origin of costly complexity/complicatedness from a stance in evolutionary complexity. It argues that the tendency to the former is a property of the evolution in the latter. The creation of space, physical and virtual for adaptation may be a managerial solution - one amenable to various interventions which draw upon complexity as a metaphor.
growth of outsourcing. In 1988, judging at least from WLWOHVRQWKH3URTXHVWGDWDEDVHWKHWHUPoRXWVRXUFLQJp was restricted to manufacturing industries procuring rather than making components. A decade later EXVLQHVVWKHRULVWVZHUHDEOHWRQRWHWKDWqWKHSUDFWLFH RIRXWVRXUFLQJKDVJURZQUDSLGO\LQWKHSDVWGHFDGHr &RRPEV %DWDJOLD DQGDUJXHIRULWVXVHWREH UHVWULFWHGWRqNQRZOHGJHVHUYLFHVUDWKHUWKDQPDWHULDOV RUFRPSRQHQWSURFXUHPHQWr
Introduction: Three senses of complexity
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“[Life is] ... a property of improbable complexity possessed by an entity that works to keep itself out of equilibrium with its environment.” 7RH[DSW'DZNLQVpVPRVWJUDSKLFH[DPSOH D GHDGSDUURWWKURZQLQWRWKHDLUREH\VWKHODZVRISK\V LFVGHVFULEHVDSHUIHFWSDUDERODDQGWKHQIDOOVEDFNWR HDUWK$OLYHRQHGLVDSSHDUVRYHUWKHFRXQW\ERXQGDU\ its component parts working together to maintain WKHLUFROOHFWLYHHQWLW\DJDLQVWWKHIRUFHRIJUDYLW\7KH GHìQLWLRQFDQDOVREHJHQHUDOL]HG2QHVFLHQWLìFPHD VXUHRIWKHFRPSOH[LW\LQDQ\V\VWHPLVWKHGHJUHHWR ZKLFKLWPDLQWDLQVDWKHUPRG\QDPLFGLVHTXLOLEULXP ZLWKLWVHQYLURQPHQW GHìHVLQHIIHFWWKHVHFRQGODZRI WKHUPRG\QDPLFV/LYLQJV\VWHPVZKHWKHUELRORJLFDO RUFXOWXUDOQRWRQO\GLVSOD\WKLVIRUPRIFRPSOH[LW\ WKH\DOVRPDLQWDLQLWRYHUWLPH 7KHVFLHQWLìFPHDVXUHRIFRPSOH[LW\LJQRUHVRI course other senses in which the word has entered the discourse of social and managerial researchers and pracWLWLRQHUV VHQVHVH[SORUHGLQWKLVYROXPHDQGWULJJHUHG LQ QR VPDOO SDUW E\ WKH VFLHQWLìF VWXGLHV RI FRPSOH[ V\VWHPV :DOGURS 3UHGDWLQJWKLVFXUUHQWXVDJH and perhaps for practitioners the common sense understanding of the word, is as a description of the shear cost DQGEXUGHQRIRUJDQL]DWLRQDOEXUHDXFUDF\:RUNLQJLQ DPXOWLQDWLRQDOHQWHUSULVH,HQFRXQWHUHGWKHWHUPoFRVW RIFRPSOH[LW\p DQGRUJDQL]DWLRQDOFRQFHUQDERXWLW ZKHQP\WKHQERVVUHWXUQHGIURPDJURXSPDQDJH PHQWFRQIHUHQFHLQ1RYHPEHU 7KHìUPZDVRQH RIPDQ\PDNLQJDVLPLODUGLVFRYHU\DWWKHVDPHVRUWRI WLPHo&RVWRIFRPSOH[LW\pSURYLGHVDPHWDSKRUIRUWKH IRUPVRIEXVLQHVVFRQFHUQWKDWODXQFKHGLQWKH V PDQ\ PRYHPHQWV IRU RUJDQL]DWLRQDO FKDQJH DQG WKH
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Figure 1 Complexity titles by year of publication (source Amazon.com) 7KHYDULRXVIRUPVRIRUJDQL]DWLRQZKLFKKHOS propagate a particular management fashion, show FRPSOH[LW\7KH\PDLQWDLQDIRUPRIRUGHUDSDUWLFXODU GHSDUWXUH IURP WKHUPRG\QDPLF HTXLOLEULXPWKDW would not exist without a particular discourse, in this FDVHoFRPSOH[LW\p7KDWRUGHULVemergent. The coalition RIIDVKLRQSURSDJDWLQJoRUJDQL]DWLRQVpLVVHOIRUJDQL]LQJ$VUHIHUHQFHWRRWKHUFRQWULEXWLRQVLQWKHYROXPH WHVWLìHVWKHSURFHVVGRHVQRWGHPDQGDVLQJOHDFFHSWHG DQGSUHFLVHGHìQLWLRQRIoFRPSOH[LW\p7KHVDPHLVWUXH RI RWKHU VXFFHVVIXO IDGV $V o%XVLQHVV 3URFHVV 5HHQJLQHHULQJp o/HDUQLQJ 2UJDQL]DWLRQp 3ULFH 6KDZ o%HQFKPDUNLQJp 3ULFH D RU )DFLOLWLHV 0DQDJHPHQW 3ULFH VSUHDGHDFKJDLQHGVHYHUDO meanings. &RPSOH[LW\DVVFLHQFHVHHPVDEOHWRH[SODLQ KRZ VXFK HPHUJHQW RUGHU VHOIRUJDQL]DWLRQ LV D SURSHUW\ RI QHWZRUNV RI LQWHUFRQQHFWHG DJHQWV HDFK RSHUDWLQJWRFRQVLVWHQWEXWVLPSOHUXOHV:KLOHVRPH SLRQHHUV LQ WKH ìHOG QRWDEO\ .DXIIPDQ KDYH VWUHVVHG WKH GHQVLW\ RI LQWHUFRQQHFWLRQ RWKHUV KDYHVWUHVVHGWKHDJHQWVIROORZLQJWKHVDPHUXOHV +ROland, 1995). Gell-Mann (1994) takes the proposition one stage further arguing the need for rules encoded LQ WKH oVFKHPDWDp LQ DQ\ &RPSOH[ $GDSWLYH 6\VWHP ,IìUVWWKHVHSURSRVLWLRQVDUHFRUUHFWDQGVHFRQGWKH oIDGpEDVHGH[DPSOHVDERYHDUHDFFHSWHGDVHPHUJHQW VHOIRUJDQL]DWLRQWKHQLWVKRXOGEHSRVVLEOHWRLGHQWLI\ WKHVFKHPDWDDWZRUN,QSDUWWKH\DUHERXQGXSZLWK the unwritten rules (Scott-Morgan, 1994) of academic research and consulting. Disseminating a particular IDVKLRQKHOSVWKHDJHQWVZKRSDUWLFLSDWHZKHWKHUWKH\ DUHGULYHQE\DGHVLUHWRHDUQUHSXWDWLRQDQGJUDQWVIHHV RUSOHDVXUHLQWKHDFWRIVFKRODUVKLS+RZHYHUHDFKLQGLYLGXDOFDVHHDFKVHOIRUJDQL]LQJV\VWHPSURSDJDWLQJ a particular fashion, or exploring a particular domain of DFDGHPLFHQTXLU\DOVRUHTXLUHVDXQLTXHVFKHPD WKH SDUWLFXODU oIDGp RU oGRPDLQp FRQFHUQHG 7KH FRQFHSWV HQFRGHGLQDSDUWLFXODUGLVFRXUVHJLYHULVHWRDSDUWLFXODU VHOIRUJDQL]LQJ V\VWHP WKDW LQ WXUQ SHUSHWXDWHV DQG disseminates the discourse. To the degree that, that
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In making the case Dennett is of course drawLQJ RQ WKH 'DUZLQLDQ HYROXWLRQDU\ SDUDGLJP DQG HVSHFLDOO\RQWKHFXUUHQWO\GRPLQDQWQHR'DUZLQLDQ YHUVLRQWKDWWUHDWVHYROXWLRQDVDVHOHFWLRQSURFHVVEHWZHHQ UHSOLFDWRUV 'DZNLQVpV PHWDSKRU of 6JG5GN¼UJ)GPG>@KDVEHFRPHWKHSRSXODUH[SUHVVLRQ>@7KHHVVHQFHRIWKHDUJXPHQWLVWKDWJHQRPHV FDUU\WKHVFKHPDWDIRUFRPSOH[ELRORJLFRUGHU7KHLU LQKHUHQWSURSHUW\RIUHSOLFDWLRQYLDWKHSKHQRW\SHV WKH\HQFRGHIRUXQGHUSLQVWKHHPHUJHQFHDQGPDLQWHQDQFHRIELRORJLFDOFRPSOH[LW\0RUHVSHFLìFDOO\KRZHYHU'HQQHWWLVGUDZLQJRQ'DZNLQVpVVXJJHVWLRQRID VHFRQGFXOWXUDOUHSOLFDWRUWKHPHPH DEHOLHIIDVKLRQ RULGHDWKDWUHSOLFDWHVQRWFKHPLFDOO\EXWLQDEURDG sense through imitation. It is to Dennett (1995) that ZHRZHWKHPHWDSKRURIWKHODZ\HUVpTXHVWLRQDVNLQJ oZKREHQHìWVpRIDoVHOìVKpUHSOLFDWRU" 7KH FDVH IRU PHPHV KDV EHHQ DUJXHG HOVHZKHUH DVXQGHUSLQQLQJDWKHRU\RIVRFLDOO\FRQWDJLRXV EHKDYLRU LQ LQGLYLGXDOV 0DUVGHQ %ODFNPRUH RU DV WKH IRXQGDWLRQ RI D PRUH JHQHUDO WKHRU\ RI LQGLYLGXDO FRQVFLRXVQHVV 'HQQHWW *DERUD $ZLGHUYLHZZRXOGVHHPHPHVRUFRPSOH[HVRI coexisting memes, as encoding a schemata for cultural RUJDQL]DWLRQ>@ +XOO /OR\G 3ULFH 3ULFH .HQQLH 3ULFH 6KDZ :HDYHU %DONLQ :LOOLDPV :HHNV *DOXQLF :LWKGLIIHUHQFHVRIHPSKDVLVWKHVHDXWKRUVDOO DUJXH IRU RUJDQL]DWLRQDO oUXOHVp DV D SURGXFW RI D VHOI UHSOLFDWLQJV\VWHPRILGHDVDQGGLDORJXH LQHVVHQFHD Foucauldian discourse. The examples of managerial fads and fashions SURYLGHDVLPSOHH[DPSOHRIWKHSURFHVVDWZRUN RUJDQL]DWLRQLVDQHPHUJHQWSURSHUW\RIWKHUHSOLFDWLRQRI a discourse. CRPSOH[LW\DULVHVIURPDQGLVHQDEOHGE\ WKDW UHSOLFDWLRQ +RZHYHU LI ZH WDNH 'HQQHWWpV DQG RWKHUVp VWDQFH ZH ORRN DW WKH EHQHìWV QRW IURP WKH YLHZSRLQWRIWKHDJHQWVLQWKHV\VWHPEXWIURPWKDWRI WKHUHSOLFDWRULIZHFRQVLGHUWKHGLVFRXUVHoFRPSOH[LW\p DV D oVHOìVK PHPHp UHSOLFDWLQJ E\ OHDSLQJ IURP PLQGWRPLQGWKHODFNRIFODULW\DVWRPHDQLQJLVD SRVLWLYH EHQHìW 7KH PHPH LV UHSOLFDWHG HYHU\ WLPH someone joins a discussion as to its meaning and gains PRUHVSDFHLQWKHHFRORJ\RIKXPDQFRQYHUVDWLRQWKH PRUH GLIIHUHQW PHDQLQJV LW FRQYH\V> @ q:H DUH OHVV ZKDW ZH VSHDN EXW PRUH ZKDW VSHDNV XVr 'HQQHWW FLWLQJ/RGJHpV SRUWUD\DORISRVWPRGHUQLVP LQ FULWLFDO WKHRU\ 7KH H[DPSOH VHUYHV DV D JHQHULF explanation for the emergence of complicatedness.
Organizations as complex adaptive (?) systems
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GHUEXWDOVRWKHPDLQWHQDQFHRIWKDWRUGHURYHUWLPH ,Q JHQHUDO WHUPV WKH ELRWLF DQG WKH DELRWLF GRPDLQV offer two isomorphic meta-groups of CAS. The term adaptiveLVKRZHYHUXQIRUWXQDWHLQWKDWERWKGRPDLQV VSHQGORQJSHULRGVYHHULQJWRZDUGVVHOIPDLQWHQDQFH RU DXWRSRLHVLV :LQRJUDG )ORUHV 0LQJHUV 1994) rather than adaptation. In simple terms a literal FRPSDULVRQRIWKHWZRV\VWHPV VXPPDUL]LQJ3ULFH 1999) is as follows: 1.
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:LWKLQ WKH ELRORJLFDO GRPDLQ WKH VFKHPDWD DUH HQFRGHGDVJHQHVFRPSOLFDWHGV\VWHPVRILQIRUPDWLRQZLWKWKHDELOLW\WRVSHFLI\VWUXFWXUHVWKDWZLOO LQWXUQFUHDWHFRSLHVRIWKHPVHOYHV*UDQWLQJWKH VHOìVKJHQHDVqDPHWDSKRUIRUDV\VWHPRILQWHUFRQQHFWHGJHQHVRIDOPRVWLQGHVFULEDEOHFRPSOH[LW\r 'DZNLQV JUDQWLQJWKHLURSHUDWLRQDV SDUWRIDFRPSOH[IHHGEDFNV\VWHPLQYROYLQJWKHLU LPPHGLDWHDQGZLGHUHQYLURQPHQWDQGJUDQWLQJ WKDWVHOHFWLRQIRUUHSURGXFWLYHFRQWLQXLW\RSHUDWHV RQ YHKLFOHV LQGLYLGXDO RUJDQLVPV UDWKHU WKDQ GLUHFWO\RQJHQHVRUJHQRPHVWKHDVVHUWLRQPDGH KHUH LV WKDW QR VDWLVIDFWRU\ DOWHUQDWLYH KDV EHHQ found for Darwin’s Dangerous Idea (see Dennett, DV WKH RULJLQ RI RUGHU :LWKLQ WKH DELRWLF GRPDLQVFKHPDWDDUHHQFRGHGLQFRPSOLFDWHGV\VWHPV RI PHWDSKRUV SDUDGLJPV PLQGVHWV EHOLHI V\VWHPV DUWHIDFWV DQG LQVWLWXWLRQDO WUDGLWLRQV &RQFHSWXDOL]LQJWKLVPL[DVPHPHVZLWKWKHLQKHUHQWWHQGHQF\WRVHOIUHSOLFDWLRQSURYLGHVHLWKHU a literal explanation from which to understand RUJDQL]DWLRQ RU LI RQH LV LPEXHG ZLWK D GLIIHUent tradition, a rich new metaphor from which WRH[DPLQHRUJDQL]DWLRQDOEHKDYLRUCRPSOH[LW\
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References $JHU ' 9 The nature of the stratigraphical record, Macmillan Press. $EUDKDPVRQ( q0DQDJHPHQWIDVKLRQrAcademy of Management Review, 21(1): 254-285. %DONLQ-0 Cultural software: A theory of ideology, 1HZ+DYHQ
