Complex adaptive system

About: Complex adaptive system is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3190 publications have been published within this topic receiving 111947 citations. The topic is also known as: Complex adaptive system, CAS.

Statistical mechanics: a possible model for market-based electric power control

Abstract: Statistical mechanics provides a useful analog for understanding the behavior of complex adaptive systems, including electric power markets and the power systems they intend to govern. Market-based control is founded on the conjecture that the regulation of complex systems based on price-mediated strategies (e.g., auctions, markets) results in an optimal allocation of resources and emergent optimal system control. This paper discusses the derivation and some illustrative applications of a first-principles model of market-based system dynamics based on strict analogies to statistical mechanics.

Business Ecosystem Modelling: Combining Natural Ecosystems and Multi-Agent Systems

Abstract: The increasing popularity of the "business ecosystem" concept in (business) strategy reflects that it is seen as one way to cope with increasingly dynamic and complex business environments. Nevertheless, the lack of a convincing model of a business ecosystem has led to the development of software which only give organisations a partial aid whilst neglecting their need for adaptation. Research in Multi-Agent Systems has proved to be suitable for modelling interactions among disparate sort of entities such as organisations. On the other hand, natural ecosystems continue to adapt themselves to changes in their dynamic and complex environments. In this paper, we present the Dynamic Agent-based Ecosystem Model. It combines ideas from natural ecosystems and multi-agent systems for business interactions.

The Three Points Approach

Abstract: Climate change has an impact on the weather conditions in Europe. There are more heavy floods, especially in the areas between the mountains and the river deltas. Also Europe is confronted with drought problems, for example in the 2007 spring. The Three Points Approach offers a strategy to adapt to the new climate conditions. The central idea is that it is not wise to develop a strategy for only formulating standards and meeting standards. That is a one point approach. There are two other ‘points’ that need attention. The first one is related to the extremes beyond the standards. In this domain we give attention to spatial planning and urban design. The second one is related to the day to day situation. Solutions will be more successful when they have a day to day value. The Three Points Approach is based on complexity science insights. The basic assumption is that the interactions between water management and society (and between practical and scientific arenas) can be regarded as complex adaptive system characteristics. A complex adaptive system learns and evolves. This paper discusses the pattern of self-organized criticality as a base for the Three Points Approach.

Self-organisation, adaptability, organisational networks and inter-organisational coordination: empirical evidence from humanitarian organisations in Uganda

Abstract: To coordinate humanitarian organisations with different mandates that flock the scenes of disasters to save lives and respond to varied needs arising from the increased number of victims is not easy. Therefore, the level at which organisations self-organise, network and adapt to the dynamic operational environment may be related to inter-organisational coordination. The authors studied self-organisation, organisational networks and adaptability as important and often overlooked organisational factors hypothesised to be related to inter-organisational coordination in the context of humanitarian organisations.,The study’s sample consisted of 101 humanitarian organisations with 315 respondents. To decrease the problem of common method variance, the authors split the samples within each humanitarian organisation into two subsamples: one subsample was used for the measurement of self-organisation, organisational network and adaptability, while the other was for the measurement of inter-organisational coordination.,The partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis using SmartPLS 3.2.8 indicated that self-organisation is related to inter-organisational coordination. Organisational network and adaptability were found to be mediators for the relationship between self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination and all combined accounted for 57.8% variance in inter-organisational coordination.,The study was cross sectional, hence imposing a limitation on changes in perceptions over time. Perhaps, a longitudinal study in future is desirable. Data were collected only from humanitarian organisations that had delivered relief to refugees in the stated camps by 2018. Above all, this study considered self-organisation, adaptability and organisational networks in the explanation of inter-organisational coordination, although there are other factors that could still be explored.,A potential implication is that humanitarian organisations which need to coordinate with others in emergency situations may need to examine their ability to self-organise, network and adapt.,Social transformation is a function of active social entities that cannot work in isolation. Hence, for each to be able to make a contribution to meaningful social change, there is need to develop organisational networks with sister organisations so as to secure rare resources that facilitate change efforts coupled with the ability to reorganise themselves and adapt to changing environmental circumstances.,The paper examines (1) the extent to which self-organisation, adaptability and organisational networks influence inter-organisational coordination; (2) the mediating role of both adaptability and organisational networks between self-organisation and inter-organisational coordination in the context of humanitarian organisations against the backdrop of complex adaptive system (CAS) theory.

The essentials of defining adaptation

Abstract: The concept of adaptation has a considerable importance in many areas of research Evolution theory is all about long-term adaptation, psychology is (among other things) interested in how people cope mentally with various changes in their life, business research tries to find ways to make companies survive and flourish in the ever more turbulent markets, armies rethink their strategies and become more flexible to be able to counter new threats, engineering disciplines move towards making systems better at reconfiguring and repairing themselves without costly and time-consuming human intervention, achieving sophisticated artificial life and artificial intelligence is in large part about finding out how to create systems that are highly adaptive and cope with the difficult and often unexpected situations they encounter, and so forth When trying to understand, manage or create large complex systems, the issue of adaptivity almost always arises to the set of top concerns, even so much so that it has become quite common to use the term Complex Adaptive Systems when referring to the subject of research, management and design efforts in various fields that deal with systems consisting of large numbers of interacting components