Managing Complexity
Effective management of spontaneous order involves developing abstract rules on a 'meta-level' that promote adaptability, learning, and resilience. These rules should allow individuals to leverage their knowledge of prevailing circumstances while adhering to shared behavioral guidelines. Making changes or steering in an organization therefore can only be achieved through cultivation in slow, deliberate and small steps, rather than complete reorganisation, for influencing spontaneous order. For instance, introducing a new tool like VAR (Video Assistant Referee) in football changes the game without altering its fundamental structure as opposed to making a rule that you can now use your hands to play.
Someone managing a spontaneous order is not only responsible for the generic functional and goal determinations but also for developing the "rules of the game" for individual behavior. Taxis forms of order can be used to enforce these types of behavioral rules but cannot be employed to achieve specific, concrete individual facts or results.
The main challenge is to create and implement rules that allow the use of a broad range of skills and knowledge while ensuring individuals follow rules that steer toward the desired goals. This challenge aligns with the creation and maintenance of viable systems.
The objective is to enhance existing behavioral rules that promote spontaneous order and create systemic structures capable of addressing proliferating variety and matching it, thereby adhering to the law of requisite variety.
This type of influence on spontaneous order places organisations on a developmental path where the end state is never fully known. The idea is to maintain the system in a constant state of becoming, aligned with the concept of #übergang rhizomatic thinking. The interim states are equally unpredictable as they are shaped not only by the behavioral rules but also by unknown future circumstances that will be navigated through these rules. As a result, the organisation evolves in a specific manner dictated by its future context.
The design goal is not to achieve specific system states but to cultivate adaptability, learning capacity, and developmental potential. This philosophy, rooted in rhizomatic thinking, views adaptability and learning as foundational. Systems thinking translates this philosophy into actionable strategies, and partnership models offer tangible examples of how these ideas can be implemented. By focusing on fostering a culture of learning how to learn, organisations ensure they are equipped to handle any challenges they encounter, effectively matching and managing proliferating variety.
Understanding and mastering, orienting, and cultivating within the realms of concrete knowledge and facts is only possible through the use of abstract behavioral rules. These rules are prerequisites for the spontaneous emergence of complex orders, which in turn are essential for managing the complexities associated with systems that extend beyond the individual. Abstract rules provide the foundation for coherence and functionality within systems, enabling them to adapt and evolve in response to new challenges. This understanding underscores that abstract rules are not merely tools for organization but essential conditions for the spontaneous development of intricate systems capable of addressing overarching complexities and extending beyond individual actors.
