A reading & discussion group is forming to explore the complexity approach to organizational and systems change.
The complexity approach is an emerging paradigm that provides an alternative to the traditional model of organizational/systems change. It is useful in addressing issues relating to systems that are hoping to undergo massive transformation, so it might be especially useful to those of us at FMHI who are seeking to assist with the transformation of mental health care in America.
While the traditional model views systems as complicated arrangements of parts and processes, the complexity model views organizations/systems as Complex Adaptive Systems that are constantly emerging in response to an ever-changing environment.
Here are some of the differences between the 2 perspectives on organization/systems change:
TRADITIONAL APPROACH:
Systems develop through:
- Top-down control
- Predictable stages of development
- Clear, detailed plans or goals
- Building consensus
- Emphasizing differences between levels
- Closing the gap with an ideal
COMPLEXITY APPROACH:
Complex Adaptive Systems develop through:
-
Connections throughout the system
- Adaptation to uncertainty
- Emerging goals, plans and structures
- Amplifying differences
- Emphasizing self-similarity within the system
- Goodness-of-fit with the environment
[Olson, E.E. & Eoyang, G.H. (2002). Facilitating Organization Change: Lessons from Complexity Science. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.]
The complexity approach might prove especially useful in studying and working within human service/legal/educational systems, local communities and governments, given the networked & interdependent nature of these systems and the ever-changing nature of the context in which they exist.