Complexity theory is a management theory that describes how people and organizations respond to the chaos around them. By relating these strategic difficulties to mathematical reactions, many complexity experts have been able to help organizations achieve their strategic goals.

When studying complexity theory, it's important to take your time to understand the basics before getting into too many details. If you get too involved too quickly, you may make a decision that seems to be correct, but is actually way off-base. Complexity management theory education and training can come in a variety of ways, including:

1. Reading articles that cover basic information about complexity management theory.

2. Taking online training in chaos and complexity theory in management.

3. Traveling to training courses that go over complexity in management.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn more about the basics of chaos theory through self-study

Before you can delve into the nuances of complexity theory, it's important to first understand the basics. By taking the time to read up on your own ahead of time, you can be ahead of the game in your training journey.

I recommend: Jonathan Rosenhead's white paper on complexity theory can help to explain the basics. The NCBI houses an article on complexity theory in management that can help you take the basics even further.

Find online training options for complex management theory

As you get more into business complexity theory, learn more in-depth information through online training courses. As you take these courses in your own timeframe, you can better understand how to apply complexity theory to your strategic needs.

I recommend: TrainerActive offers a downloadable training activity in complexity theory management. MIT OpenCourseWare offers a course and lecture notes formerly used at MIT for you to download and study on your own.

Take training courses that focus on bringing complexity theory into your management style

Sometimes, the best way to learn how to apply complexity theory to your business is to have someone teach you directly. Often, you'll have to travel to take direct training courses, but you can often offset these costs by combining the travel with other business needs.

I recommend: ESI International offers a 3-day course in how to apply complexity theory to project management. UCLA offers a variety of courses in human complexity that can be taken as part of a degree program or individually on an audit basis.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many of the leading experts in complexity theory reside in the United Kingdom. Therefore, it's very common to find courses and articles from across the pond. Make sure you check the location carefully if you're going to travel before committing to any conference so that you don't accidentally sign up for an international course.

Complexity theory resulted from the efforts of researchers to discover the hidden order of complex systems and harness it to make the most of those systems. One object of complexity theory is to teach managers to maintain the delicate balance between order (law) and chaos (accident), or between planning and chance, in their companies by using a continually evolving organizational strategy which both anticipates and responds to changing conditions and new feedback.

A central component of the chaos and complexity theory in management is the recognition that change within systems is nonlinear (erratic, unpredictable, unstable) and based on the evolving relationships and complex interactions of the ever-changing components within the system. While these factors make results virtually impossible to predict, when their nature is recognized and understood, they also allow for a new flexibility of approach that can provide the freedom to innovate. Some important components of complexity theory are these:

1. It's far more important for management to recognize emerging organizational patterns and business trends and adjust company strategy accordingly than to be directly involved in handling the day-to-day details of the business.

2. Managers need to develop the wisdom and experience to know when and how to push the limits of order without crossing the boundary into chaos.

3. Vision, leadership, corporate values and open communication are critical to achieving company goals, given the complexity in management of a company in the modern business environment.

Action Steps
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Take a leadership course which includes complexity management theory

Numerous websites provide valuable information about complexity management theory. In addition to diagrams and summaries of complexity management principles, you'll find various videos and instructional materials, as well as training courses that can help you develop the expertise to put complexity theory to work for your company.

I recommend: ESI International offers a course called, "Leading Complex Projects," which applies complexity management theory to project management. The course is offered in various U.S. locations. KMCI, a company which developed a new school of knowledge management (KM) based on complexity theory, offers various certificate programs, workshops and distance learning courses, as well as consulting services. Thomson Gale provides an online Encyclopedia of Management containing an in-depth explanation of management complexity theory, which you can access free of charge.

Try a consultant to help you put the complexity theory of management into practice

Consultants with knowledge and experience in complexity management theory can guide you in maximizing the benefit of its principles in your own company's unique environment.

I recommend: Orgdyne Training & Consulting, LLC and Human Systems Dynamics Institute (HSD) provide consulting services based on the principles of complexity and chaos theory.

Locate tools and resources that will help you make the most of complexity management theory

Widely available online tools and resources can help you more easily implement business complexity principles. Videos, flowcharts and links to numerous websites offering other products, information and services let you choose the complexity management resources most valuable to your business.

I recommend: SkyMark Corporation offers a free 30-day trial of its PathMaker software, which can help you create tools such as charts and diagrams to help you apply complexity management theory to your business. The company's iPathmaker web-based software can also help you implement complexity management strategy by enabling you to alter a process more quickly, as you work on continual quality improvement. The enTarga website offers a host of complexity resource links and CALResCo a number of business and management-related resource links which provide valuable tools for your business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You'll likely find the many facets of complexity theory fascinating, as you delve more deeply into them. Take advantage of as much of the information that's readily available online as you can. It will be well worth your while, as you learn to put the theory into practice to help your company grow and mature.

The complexity management theory, originated from the Santa Fe Institute, adheres to the belief that hidden directives govern complex systems, enabling members of that system to adapt to one another without controlled direction of another individual. Complexity management theory differs from chaos theory in that it recognizes the ability for organizations to undergo self-organization that results in a functional, complex system. Elements of the complexity management theory include complex systems, self-organization and emergent properties.

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Complexity management theory

The basis of the complexity management theory is that hidden directives govern complex systems. These directives enable members of that system to adapt to one another by cooperation instead of direction from a leader.

I recommend: Obtain further information regarding the complexity management theory from the Encyclopedia of Management.

Complex systems

Complex systems are those in which several independent forces interrelate in various ways and function in a structured manner. An example of a complex system is an emergency room, where staff must adapt to factors such as various degrees of medical emergencies, the number of patients requiring medical attention at a given time, and employees on staff. To serve patients efficiently and effectively, hospital staff must adapt to these variables and perform their respective duties in an organized, structured manner.

I recommend: The New England Complex Systems Institute examines the functioning of a complex system in a hospital emergency room.

Self-organization

Self-organization is the ability for a system to evolve into an organized complex system over time without the influence or guidance of external factors.

I recommend: The Center for the Study of Complex Systems provides an article regarding research on self-organization.

Emergent properties

Emergent properties are the processes by which simple interactions work together to form an organized complex system, whose functions one can examine at a complex level.

I recommend: Reference the International Society for Complexity, Information, and Design to learn more about emergent properties.

Chaos theory

Chaos theory is the premise that as an organization grows in complexity, there enters a degree of unpredictability in which the organization becomes susceptible to external factors that one cannot control. This in turn will cause the organization to adapt or fail.

I recommend: Refer to IMHO In My Humble Opinion for more information on Chaos theory.

Complex adaptive systems

Complex adaptive systems are diverse complex systems composed of many interrelated components that are able to adapt to change and learn from past events.

I recommend: TrojanMice offers more information on complex adaptive systems.