ABSTRACT
Complexity theory focuses on how parts of a system at the micro-level affect emergent behavior and overall outcome at the macro-level. Complexity theory attempts to understand order in emergent systems, that otherwise may be considered a disorderly condition when viewed from a mechanical model perspective. An improved understanding of complexity theory promises the potential to address policy development, manage governance networks, and improve public agency management. Social complexity may have the characteristics of emergence, self-organization, collective intelligence, collective identity, networked communities, business ecosystems, multi-sided social and business platforms, and shared governance. Self-organization can be understood by looking for the interplays between top-down forces and the reactions of the actors within the system and their reaction to the environment in which they act. The capacity to scan the environment in the broadest sense for potential changes, and to constantly interact with organizations at their deepest levels is key to understanding complexity.
