ABSTRACT
Structural complexity is found most frequently in large-scale engineering, construction, Information Technology and defence projects which are able to be broken down into many small tasks and separate contracts. They are usually managed through clearly defined hierarchies; they have complex communication structures and many interrelated and dependent parts. The myriad of risks that have to be identified and managed make it very difficult to keep a grasp on risks that trigger other risks in a kind of chain reaction. The sheer size of the project and the numbers of interdependent tasks mean that non-linear behaviour will emerge, making control of the project very difficult. Control in Complexity Theory refers to the ability of a system to maintain its stability of form. This is considerably different from the project management literature, where control refers to achieving performance according to plan. The communication networks must be carefully planned and the system must tend towards control if it is to be maintained.
