Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 4
.
1
Some key generic properties of complex systems
Property
Attributes
Distributed nature and
representation
The functions and relationships are distributed across system
components at a whole variety of scales, giving the system a high
degree of distributed connectivity.
Openness
The boundary between a complex system and its environment
is neither i xed nor easy to identify, making operational closure
dependent on context (and observer). Such non-isolated systems tend
to be dissipative - subject to constant interaction and exchange with
their environments.
Non-linear dynamics
Complex systems display non-linear dynamics because of various
complex feedbacks and mutually self-reinforcing interactions amongst
components. Complex systems are thus often characterised by path
dependence.
Limited functional
decomposability
Because of its high degree of connectivity, and the open, dynamic
nature of its structure, there is limited scope for decomposing a
complex system into stable components
Emergence and self-
organisation
There is a tendency for macro-scale structures (including spatial
structures) and dynamics to emerge spontaneously out of the micro-
scale behaviours and interactions of system components.
Adaptive behaviour
and adaptation
The same processes of self-organisation imbue complex systems
with the potential to adapt their structures and dynamics, whether
in response to changes in the external environment, or from within
through co-evolutionary mechanisms or in response to 'self-organised
criticality'.
Non- determinism and
non- tractability
Complex systems are fundamentally non-deterministic. It is not
possible to anticipate precisely their behaviour even if we completely
know the function of their components. This does not imply,
however, that the behaviour of such systems is random, in the sense
of being haphazard.
Sources:
Based on Horgan (1995), Pavard and Dugdale (2000), Adami (2002), McGlade and Garnsey
(2006), among others.
openness, a complex system also af ords
limited functional decomposability
; that is, its
overall (macro-level) functioning cannot be deduced from knowledge of the function of
its sub-components.
Yet further, the pattern and nature of interactions (non-linear and distributed)
between the elements of the system allow it to functionally restructure itself over time.
Indeed, the properties of
self-organisation and emergence
are often held to be the primary
distinguishing features of complex systems.
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These ideas refer to the observation that
there are many systems that at one level can be described as consisting of numerous
micro-scale components that are individually 'simple' and that interact with each other
in limited, simple ways, often only inl uencing neighbouring components, yet at another
scale are able to exhibit some complex overall system-level structure and behaviour. In
broad terms, it is those systems that exhibit the 'emergence' of macro-scale structure
and dynamics spontaneously from the micro-level behaviours and interactions of their
