SAVVI – a system approach to identifying vulnerability

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May 05Book Launch: Design Journeys through Complex Systemsby NamahnFollowFreeActions and Detail PanelLike EventRegisterEvent InformationKristel Van Ael and Peter Jones discuss their new book “Design Journeys through Complex Systems”.

Book Launch: Design Journeys through Complex Systems Registration, Thu, May 5, 2022 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite

Guest editorial: Complexity as a model for social innovation and social entrepreneurship: is there order in the chaos?

Guest editorial: Complexity as a model for social innovation and social entrepreneurship: is there order in the chaos? | Emerald Insight

Introduction: social innovation, social entrepreneurship and complexity: exploring the linkages

Whether describing a looming social problem or a proposed innovative solution, it is increasingly commonplace to find the word “complex” affixed as a descriptor. Complexity is a particularly malleable term, denoting inter alia that something is poorly understood, politically contested or difficult to accomplish. Complexity can be adopted in this sense as a framework for approaching issues constructively or less helpfully, as a management gloss or an excuse for inaction. However, as the articles in this special issue demonstrate, the concepts, theories and methodologies of the complexity sciences can offer both constructive theoretical advancements and practical insights to help better address contemporary societal challenges.

As nation-states confront intractable social problems and adapt to system-changing shocks like financial crises, climate emergencies and the COVID-19 pandemic, social innovation and social entrepreneurship are often invoked as routes to needed systemic change (Ashoka, 2020; Avelino et al., 2019; Domanski et al., 2020; Westley and Antadze, 2010). Social innovation and social entrepreneurship charge practitioners with the development of novel ideas for increasingly unknown futures. For Goldstein et al. (2010, p. 102), this brings forth a paradox: “if the novelty generation inherent in social innovation cannot be planned, how can social entrepreneurs bring about social innovation?”. In grappling with this question, the interrelated social innovation and social entrepreneurship literatures shifted focus from localised problems to “systemic and structural issues” (Nicholls et al., 2015), from individual “heroic” entrepreneurs to self-organising actors within ecosystems (Moore and Westley, 2011) and from a deterministic theory of change approach to a dynamic and non-linear process of scaling, spreading and impact (Corner and Ho, 2010). By dint of the questions that now drive its inquiry, social innovation and social entrepreneurship might be considered innately complex concepts.

Complexity science – as a multidisciplinary and indeed multitheoretical philosophical field (Castellani and Hafferty, 2009) – are as Mulgan (2012, p. 28) noted, “instinctively at home” with social innovation and social enterprises involving “organic development, trial and error, [and] dispersed power”. Complexity theorists have explored “the unprecedented, the unpredictable, and the non-deductible” nature of both social innovation (Goldstein et al., 2010; Grimm et al., 2013; Matei and Antonie, 2015; Mulgan, 2012b; Taylor and Arundel, 2019; Westley and Antadze, 2010) and social entrepreneurship (Rhodes and Donnelly-Cox, 2008; Swanson and Zhang, 2011; Tapsell and Woods, 2010), and for developing novel means of promoting both processes (Geobey et al., 2012; Hervieux and Voltan, 2019; Zivkovic, 2018). This has involved complexity-derived concepts like emergence (Wheatley and Frieze, 2006), the adaptive cycle (Moore and Westley, 2011; Westley and Antadze, 2010), self-organisation (McCarthy, 2017; Tapsell and Woods, 2010), fitness landscapes (Rhodes and Dowling, 2018) and attractor states (Goldstein et al., 2010), while complexity-related concepts like disequilibrium, non-linearity, feedback and feedforward and path dependency feature regularly, if more colloquially, in the literature.

Beyond academia, complexity theory and systems-informed approaches now feature much more strongly in the policy landscape and related grey literature. International organisations such as the OECD and the UN have explored systems theory as a development trajectory in recent years while leading foundations like Ashoka, Schwab and Skoll have all explored elements of complexity in their research programmes. Yet, as more people look to systems thinking and complexity theory to provide insights and practical guidance for the development, management and sponsorship of social innovation and entrepreneurship, there is a pressing need for complexity-informed scholarship to move beyond providing just a “menu of metaphors” (Mulgan, 2012, p. 29) and speak directly to a developing practice.

Complicating this drive for practical utility, however, is the reality that the complexity sciences are not a singular perspective but rather an extended and quarrelsome family of theories. Research traditions which have developed from von Bertalanffy’s General Systems Theory, Forrester’s System Dynamics, Cybernetics and the Santa Fe Institute’s Complex Adaptive Systems approach focus primarily on modelling, predicting and ultimately influencing the behaviour of complex systems. Other traditions deriving from Cilliers’ postmodernism (Cilliers, 2002), Byrne and Callaghan’s (2013) complex realism and critical systems thinking (Jackson, 2016) consider the challenges of complexity more fundamental and irreducible, demanding rapid adaptation rather than merely better-informed attempts at prediction. The breadth of inquiry and incommensurability of worldviews operant within the complexity sciences is often glossed over in the literature and researchers (including those working within social innovation and social entrepreneurship) often adopt a “pick and mix” approach, drawing from the complexity science’s vast conceptual library with little attention paid to philosophical consistency or practical complementarity.

In many academic disciplines, complexity is also often subsumed into an oppositional rhetoric, framing insight into problems more than solutions. For Mulgan (2015, p. 14), this is “the constant challenge with systems thinking – how to see the interconnections between things without becoming intellectually overwhelmed, and trapped by them into a fatalism which presumes that change is impossible”. Conversely, while complexity’s constructive potential is foregrounded in policy discourse by consultants and think tanks as a toolkit to unlock systems change, it can be positioned as a high-concept cure-all lacking analytical depth and criticality. It, therefore, seems particularly important now for academics to explore with consistency and scrutiny how the complexity sciences might inform a burgeoning policy interest while also offering constructive inroads to the disciplinary mainstream. Notable academic events like the International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship, Systems Thinking and Complexity at Adelphi University, which led to a 2008 special issue of the Journal Emergence: Complexity and Organization contributed groundwork for this agenda. More recently, complexity thinking in social innovation has been carried forward through conference streams at the International Research Society for Public Management Conference and the International Social Innovation Research Conference, from which this special issue emerged. The articles in this special issue from (Abraham and Geobey, 2021; Lythberg et al., 2021; Rhodes et al., 2021; McGowan and Geobey, 2022) build on this body of work and further demonstrate the value of the complexity sciences as a theoretical tradition and empirical lens in social innovation and social entrepreneurship scholarship.

This review article opens this special issue. We survey the adoption and application of complexity science-related ideas in the social innovation and social entrepreneurship literatures to consider the former’s contributions and implications for the latter’s practice and theory, and we reflect on the contributions which this special issue makes to this area of research. In the following sections, we focus our discussion on the fields of social innovation and entrepreneurship while also acknowledging contributions from closely related fields like social finance. We also draw from pertinent literature from cognate disciplines of public administration, public policy, socialecological systems and operations management, where subject matter overlaps with social innovation and social entrepreneurship topics. Drawing from the papers in this volume as well as wider literature review, we address two central questions:

Q1.

How have the complexity sciences been applied to the fields of social innovation and social entrepreneurship? and

Q2.

How can complexity contribute to improved theoretical understanding and practical insight in these two fields?

Metacognition as a Consequence of Competing Evolutionary Time Scales

Entropy | Free Full-Text | Metacognition as a Consequence of Competing Evolutionary Time Scales | HTML

Abstract

Evolution is full of coevolving systems characterized by complex spatio-temporal interactions that lead to intertwined processes of adaptation. Yet, how adaptation across multiple levels of temporal scales and biological complexity is achieved remains unclear. Here, we formalize how evolutionary multi-scale processing underlying adaptation constitutes a form of metacognition flowing from definitions of metaprocessing in machine learning. We show (1) how the evolution of metacognitive systems can be expected when fitness landscapes vary on multiple time scales, and (2) how multiple time scales emerge during coevolutionary processes of sufficiently complex interactions. After defining a metaprocessor as a regulator with local memory, we prove that metacognition is more energetically efficient than purely object-level cognition when selection operates at multiple timescales in evolution. Furthermore, we show that existing modeling approaches to coadaptation and coevolution—here active inference networks, predator–prey interactions, coupled genetic algorithms, and generative adversarial networks—lead to multiple emergent timescales underlying forms of metacognition. Lastly, we show how coarse-grained structures emerge naturally in any resource-limited system, providing sufficient evidence for metacognitive systems to be a prevalent and vital component of (co-)evolution. Therefore, multi-scale processing is a necessary requirement for many evolutionary scenarios, leading to de facto metacognitive evolutionary outcomes.

Keywords: metacognition; metaprocessor; coevolution; coadaptation; temporal scales; active inference; predator–prey models; coupled genetic algorithms; generative adversarial networks

Timothy Clancy

Author Page for Timothy Clancy :: SSRN

In the Complexity Explorers (SFI) group on Facebook, Tim Clancy posted this (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2156854757698450/?multi_permalinks=5456539021063324):

The dissertation may be of technical interest to folks in this community because it touches on a lot of aspects we’ve discussed over the years related to complex systems including determining causality, depicting via simulation, modeling, policy analysis and selection, counterfactuals.

From a domain standpoint the dissertation is organized based on the diagram and individual chapters are available below:

Chp1: Profiles of Violent Radicalization doi:10.2139/ssrn.3957928

Chp2: Root Causes of Violent Radicalization doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3957919

Chapter 3: Contingences of Violent Radicalization doi: 10.3390/systems9040090

Chp4: Countering Violent Radicalization doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3990014

Chp5: Emerging State Actor Hypothesis ISIS Case doi: 10.3390/systems6020016

Chp6: Application of Emerging State Actor Hypothesis ISIS Case doi: 10.3390/systems6020017

Peace Tech

Sustaining Peace Project

For all links go to https://systemspractice.org/events

SCiO UK

SCiO UK Virtual Development Event – April 2022

Tue 26 April 2022 19:00–21:09 GMT+1
SCiO’s Development Days offer an opportunity to draw upon the collective expertise of SCiO members in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. By taking Development Events online, using the Zoom meeting platform, we aim to make them accessible to more SCiO members.
This will be a ‘special’ Development event with the subject “Professional development, certification and systems practice” led by Tony Korycki.
Development Events are both for members who are just starting out on a journey to explore Systems Thinking approaches, and for those who have many years of exploration and practice.

Members only; FREE; Online event; English; Book now

SCiO UK Virtual Open Meeting – May 2022

Mon 16 May 2022 18:30–20:30 GMT+1

Virtual Open Meeting: A series of presentations of general interest to Systems & Complexity in Organisation’s members and others. SCiO organises Open Meetings to provide opportunities for practitioners to learn and develop new practice, to build relationships, networks, hear about skills, tools, practice and experiences. This virtual session will be held on Zoom, the details of which will be confirmed nearer the time.

Systems Thinking and Adult Development in a Community Development Setting – Esther Hall

How do we transform a zombie organisation into a conscious collective? – Stephen J Brewis

All welcome; FREE; Online event; English; Book now

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SCiO Belgium

SCiO Belgium – VSM deep dive sessie 3

Tue 26 April 2022 18:00–20:30 CET+1
SCiO Belgium SCiO is een netwerk van professionals in organisatie ontwikkeling en organisatie design, binnen en buiten het bedrijfsleven. De centrale doelstellingen zijn (1) het ontwikkelen van systeem praktijken, (2) kennis delen en schalen, (3) voorzien van ondersteuning. Deze sessie zal doorgaan van 19 tot 21u30. Details zullen gedeeld worden kort voor het event bij inschrijving. Gedurende 4 sessies zullen we een ‘deep dive’ nemen in het VSM. Meer info volgt snel (op deze link).

Kon. Astridlaan 144, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium – Members only, FREE, Dutch; Book now

SCiO Belgium – spreker sessie mei 2022 – Philippe Bailleur

Tue 31 May 2022 18:00–20:30 CET+1

SCiO Belgium SCiO is een netwerk van professionals in organisatie ontwikkeling en organisatie design, binnen en buiten het bedrijfsleven. De centrale doelstellingen zijn (1) het ontwikkelen van systeem praktijken, (2) kennis delen en schalen, (3) voorzien van ondersteuning. Deze sessie zal doorgaan van 19 tot 21u30. Details zullen gedeeld worden kort voor het event bij inschrijving. Gedurende 4 sessies zullen we een ‘deep dive’ nemen in het VSM. Meer info volgt snel (op deze link)…. Read more

Kon. Astridlaan 144, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium – Members only, FREE, Dutch; Book now

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SCiO DACH (Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz)

SCiO DACH – Person of interest: Stafford Beer

Thu 14 April 2022 19:00–20:30 CET+1

Vorstellung von Leben und Werk des Stafford Beer, dem Begründer der Managementkybernetik durch Carola Roll.
Der Termin gibt einen Überblick über den Werdegang sowie das umfangreiche Werk von Stafford Beer in unterschiedlichen Disziplinen (VSM, aber auch Poesie, Malerei, usw.).
In Grundzügen wird auch auf sein wichtigstes Werk, das VSM, und dessen Einfluss eingegangen.
Nach der Präsentation besteht die Möglichkeit zum allgemeinen Austausch.

Members only; FREE; Online event; German; Book now

SCiO DACH Camp in Aalen

Fri 17 June 2022 17:00 – Sat 18 June 2022 17:30 CET+1

Veranstaltung zu aktuellen Themen und Praxisbeispielen aus dem Bereich des System Thinking und der Managmentkybernetik. ● Get-together bei gemeinsamen Abendessen am Vorabend. ● Präsentation “System Laws”: allgemeine Beschreibung der “System Laws”, Aufgaben, Ziele und Charakteristika sowie mögliche Anwendungen gefolgt von einer offenen Diskussion im Anschluss. ● Bar Camp: Teilgeber können eigene Temen bzw. Vorträge präsentieren. Das Thema sollte sich an Systemansätzen und an deren praktischer Nutzung orientieren und so weit möglich Fragestellungen/Übungen für die anderen Teilnehmer beinhalten.

Karlstraße 4, 73433 Aalen, Germany; All welcome; 99-149 Euro, German Book now

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SCiO Espana

systems Thinking y constelaciones familiares

Tue 26 April 2022 19:00–21:00 CET+1

presentation by Luis Dorrego details to follow

All welcome; FREE; Online event; Spanish; Book now

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SCiO Nederland

SCIO-NL April 2022 live meeting (in Dutch)

Fri 8 April 2022 11:00–16:00 CET+1

In het 2w kwartaal van 2022 gaan we als leden van SCIO-NL onderling in gesprek om helderder te krijgen wat we als leden van de vereniging verwachten en zouden willen krijgen.

Hagenweg 3c, Vianen, Netherlands; Members only; FREE; Dutch Book now

SCIO-NL May 2022 live meeting (in Dutch)

Fri 13 May 2022 11:00–16:00 CET+1

In het 2w kwartaal van 2022 gaan we als leden van SCIO-NL onderling in gesprek om helderder te krijgen wat we als leden van de vereniging verwachten en zouden willen krijgen.

Hagenweg 3c, Vianen, Netherlands; Members only; FREE; Dutch Book now

Two young mathematicians have astonished their colleagues with a full proof of the Kahn-Kalai conjecture — a sweeping statement about how structure emerges in random sets and graphs.

Elegant Six-Page Proof Reveals the Emergence of Random Structure | Quanta Magazine

Rajneesh Chowdhury, Ph.D.

Happy to share my latest research paper in the Systemist (the official journal of the UK Systems Society), titled, “Applying VSM, SSM, and SAST for problem-structuring and problem-solving in health systems”. (Cover date Winter, 2021).ABSTRACTSystems thinking can lend a powerful perspective for problem-structuring and problem-solving in health systems. They can serve to articulate assumptions rooted in mental models and individual values and help in facilitating convergence of viewpoints between differing stakeholders in an inclusive and participative manner. This paper presents a case-study where three systems methodologies – VSM, SSM and SAST – were used sequentially in the UK NHS to bring about value-based consensus between managers and clinicians overcoming legacy differences. The discussions highlight the contribution systems methodologies can make in unearthing causes of organisational dissonance, misaligned priorities, and deep-rooted conflict, and how the same can be resolved by working towards a higher-order stakeholder convergence through application of certain methodologies creatively and flexibly. Discussions presented emphasise on the importance of problem-structuring as an essential step before problem-solving. It is also argued that the former needs to flow through an intervention as an iterative process and that problem-structuring should not be regarded as a one-time activity. Learnings presented in this paper can be of equal value for systems and healthcare researchers and practitioners. The intervention can be located within the ambit of Holistic Flexibility, a recently introduced conceptual lens in systems thinking.

(3) Post | LinkedIn

Reconceiving the Digital Network: From Cells to Selves

Mark William Johnson, Elizabeth Maitland, John Torday & Sebastian H. D. Fiedler 

Chapter

First Online: 22 April 2022

Part of the Postdigital Science and Education book series (PSE)

Abstract

The concept of the postdigital and current conceptions of the biodigital stem from an understanding of computer networks which itself has a history deriving from biology in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This chapter traces the historical development of modern conceptions of ‘network’ from Rashevsky, to McCulloch and Pitts, through to the creation of the Internet, and current thinking about neural networks and machine learning. In tracing this history, we question the soundness of some of the assumptions made about networked digital phenomena and their relation to biological and phenomenological processes. In contrast to the topological node-arc model of networks, we argue that networks arise from evolutionary biological processes which are fundamentally oriented around boundary preservation rather than ‘connection’. Cellular connections observed as networks can be seen as epiphenomena of these underlying processes, where for example, a cell will establish ‘connection’ as a means of maintaining its viability in an uncertain environment. Taking a boundary-preservation viewpoint allows for a homological analysis of similar processes from cells to selves. We illustrate two areas where this viewpoint might be operationalised: in communication dynamics and in institutional organisation. We argue this is a richer way of investigating biodigital phenomena, and opens the door to new technological experiments and alternative visions of a technological society.

Reconceiving the Digital Network: From Cells to Selves | SpringerLink

And if your budget can’t stretch to the book Bioinformational Philosophy and Postdigital Knowledge Ecologies (though it sounds as fascinating as the title is long), also on Academia:

https://www.academia.edu/s/c926e3a742

Wednesday, April 20, 2022Constructing POSIWID

Demanding Change: Constructing POSIWID

Systemic resilience in economics

William Hynes, Benjamin D. Trump, Alan Kirman, Andrew Haldane & Igor Linkov 

Nature Physics volume 18, pages381–384 (2022)

We describe a framework for understanding the factors that underpin economic resilience, and identify the basic tools for implementing it. This principally involves examining resilience by design, which promotes endogenous reorganization in the economy, and by intervention, which includes exogenous measures such as bailouts, stockpiles and building buffers. We link these ideas to comparable notions from physics, such as the rich and non-trivial phenomenology that arises in circumstances when a system is dynamic and out of equilibrium. We contend that a more nuanced understanding of the underlying structure of our economic system could lead to more enlightened policy decisions that promote resilience and result in better outcomes in the long run.

Systemic resilience in economics | Nature Physics

The Climate GameCan you reach net zeroby 2050?See if you can save the planet from the worst effects of climate change

The Climate Game — Can you reach net zero?