In this episode we sit down with professor Neil Theise, the author of Notes on Complexity, to get an introduction to the science of how complex systems behave – from cells to human beings, to ecosystems, the known universe, and beyond – and we explore if Ian Malcolm was right when he told us in Jurassic Park that “Life, um, finds a way.”
YANSS 312 – An introduction to complexity science, chaos theory, and how life, um, finds a wayIn this episode we sit down with professor Neil Theise, the author of Notes on Complexity, to get an introduction to the science of how complex systems behave – from cells to human beings, to ecosystems, the known universe, and beyond – and we explore if Ian Malcolm was right when he told us in Jurassic Park that “Life, um, finds a way.”
08 May 2025, by Barbara Orlando, translated by Tomaso Eridani
How network science can help us understand who will be the next Pope. The study by Soda, Iorio, and Rizzo reveals how status, information and alliances influence the papal election.
Research Papal election In the Network of the Conclave Open share 08 May 2025, by Barbara Orlando, translated by Tomaso Eridani How network science can help us understand who will be the next Pope. The study by Soda, Iorio, and Rizzo reveals how status, information and alliances influence the papal election.
Join us for a Special Interest Group: Change in organisations is inevitable, especially in challenging economic and technological times. Enabling the entire workforce to engage in change initiatives not only facilitates buy in, but also ensures that their specific knowledge and insights create and embed organisational transformation which will enhance long term viability.
Dr Ann Mulhaney – Associate Professor for Change Management at the Centre for Sustainable Innovation, University of Salford will be presenting/speaking on this informative subject.
Change in organisations is inevitable, especially in challenging economic and technological times. Enabling the entire workforce to engage in change initiatives not only facilitates buy in, but also ensures that their specific knowledge and insights create and embed organisational transformation which will enhance long term viability.
There is a plethora of change management literature, with numerous models and theories of change, but few explain how to create and embed the conditions for change that enable stakeholder engagement, coordination of initiatives and sustainability of both the change and the management of change within organisations. Managerial cybernetics is the science of effective organisation, but little work had been undertaken to utilise managerial cybernetics in the design of change intervention which both engages those affected and embraces creativity techniques as part of the change framework.
Using action research, this presentation describes a framework for cybernetic participatory intervention that engages stakeholders both in the evolving design and the implementation of change. The framework was developed, refined and applied in a series of situations with increasing levels of complexity involving multiple change initiatives, multi companies and cross industry programmes. The framework embeds creativity tools to both engage stakeholders and enhance understanding of the situational context, allowing for new and enhanced opportunities for change to emerge.
When
26/09/2025 12:30 – 14:00 GMT Daylight Time
Where
Centre for Systems Studies University of Hull Cottingham Road Hybrid HU6 7RX
Systems Thinking – Creating the conditions for change: a participatory cybernetic framework
Dare to Rethink..® Mehaad A. Tegally RPᴱᴹ Systems Thinking, Re-engineering & Optimization Professional Founder: Sustainable Operating System Initiative ® “Dimensions Surfacing Heuristics”
Tilak Shantanu presents the topics addressed in a three-part paper published in our Journal. It looks at Gordon Pask’s conversation theory (CT) and interaction of actors theory (IA) and outlines ways to apply these cybernetic approaches to designing technologies and scenarios for both formal and informal learning. The paper was published in our journal and the link is here: https://doi.org/10.58695/ec.11
Pask’s conversation & interaction of actors theories: Approaches to learning tech, Shantanu Tilak
Virtual Open Meeting: A series of presentations of general interest to Systems and Complexity in Organisation’s members and others. SCiO UK 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 meeting will be held on Zoom, and there will be two speaker sessions.
SCiO’s Development Event 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. 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-NL komt elke 1e of 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen, afwisselend in Vianen (Hagenweg 3c) of in Woerden (Pelmolenlaan 2). Er staan geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.
NL Members + guests; FREE; Hagenweg 3c, Vianen, Netherlands; Dutch; BOOK NOW
Beste leden, Dinsdagavond 20 mei (19:00-20:30) is het weer tijd voor een online presentatie van onze vereniging SCIO-NL; wederom in samenwerking met KNVI. Deze keer presenteert Jan de Visch het boek “ Opening the Box: Systems Thinking for Transformative Conversations” dat Jan samen met drie andere SCIO-leden (Miguel Pantaleon, Namrata Arora en Tony Korycki) heeft geschreven. Hoewel het boek Engelstalig is, is de presentatie in het Nederlands. Hieronder vind je nog een uitgebreidere omschrijving van het boek en de presentatie. Als je geinteresseerd bent, stuur mij dan een email (ed@doitogether.nl) en je ontvangt een Teams-uitnodiging. Graag tot ziens.
All welcome; FREE; Online event; Dutch & English; BOOK NOW
SCIO-NL komt elke 1e of 2e vrijdag van de maand live bijeen, afwisselend in Vianen (Hagenweg 3c) of in Woerden (Pelmolenlaan 2). Er staan geen vaste onderwerpen op de agenda (daarvoor organiseren we specifieke andere meetings), maar de ervaring leert dat er altijd wel een interessant gesprek op gang komt over een systemisch onderwerp. Toegankelijk voor iedereen die de jaarlijkse fee voor de live-bijeenkomsten (€50,-) hiervoor betaald. En voor gasten. Neem contact op via ed@doitogether.nl als je interesse hebt, maar nog geen lid van de club bent.
NL Members + guests; FREE; Pelmolenlaan 2, Woerden (At the Office) 5, Woerden, Netherlands; Dutch; BOOK NOW
In deze laatste activiteit verkennen we hoe we vastgeroeste denkpatronen kunnen doorbreken en nieuwe perspectieven kunnen creëren. Door middel van provocatieve vragen onderzoeken deelnemers de grenzen van hun eigen systemische benadering verkennen en innovatieve oplossingen vinden voor complexe problemen.
We focussen op cases (uitdagingen of problemen) die deelnemers zelf kunnen inbrengen. Dit kan bijv. een uitdaging rond strategie-uitvoering, change management, leiderschap, of andere zijn…..
Members only + Guests; 30 euro; Kon. Astridlaan 144, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium; Dutch; BOOK NOW
Transformationen wirksam begleiten zu können, erfordert inhärente Komplexität anzuerkennen und einen konstruktiven Umgang damit zu finden. In diesem Vortrag beleuchten wir die Prinzipien unserer Wahrnehmung und entdecken gemeinsam ein von C. S. Holling inspiriertes Modell organisatorischer Weiterentwicklung. Wir betrachten wie präzise Sprache und bewusste Perspektivwechsel entscheidend dazu beitragen, kontextuelle Klarheit zu erlangen, um nachhaltige Veränderung zu initiieren – und was wir aus der Entwicklung von Ökosystemen über die Gestaltung dieser Veränderungsprozesse lernen können. Begleiten Sie uns auf dieser Reise durch innovative Denkansätze, um Transformation nicht nur zu verstehen, sondern auch effektiv zu gestalten.More….
Members only + Guests; Kostenlos; Online event; German; BOOK NOW
Finland has an international reputation as a leader in learning and development, but does this brand truly reflect today’s reality? Can our learning systems, organizations and governance structures keep pace with the challenges of a rapidly changing world? The workshop “Learning Finland? – Systemic Challenges and Opportunities” brings together policy makers, leaders, practitioners, and scholars to discuss how systems thinking can help us understand and improve learning at the individual, organizational, and societal levels….
SCiO Ireland is organising an experiential “Green Just Transition” Workshop on 8 May 2025: The Green Just Transition: What will a Just Transition look like? How will we know when we get there? Systems and Complexity in Organisation (SCiO) Ireland, the national chapter of the international systems thinking professional membership organisation, and Eurofound, the EU Agency for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, are conducting an in-person experiential research workshop on 8 May 2025.
This is an experiential process workshop with invited participants from Ireland. We will engage in a hands-on interactive process of inquiry to access collective group wisdom to access fresh insights for policymakers in Ireland and across the EU.
The methodology draws on systems thinking and Social Presencing Theatre, a methodology developed at MIT for embodied learning.
more…..
All Welcome(booking necessary); FREE; Eurofound, Wyattville Road, Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin D18 KP65, Ireland; English; BOOK NOW
SCiO UK Virtual Open Meeting – Monday 19 May, 18:30–21:00 (GMT+1)
Join us online for an evening of applied systems thinking, open to all and free to attend.
This session features two talks from experienced practitioners exploring how systems thinking shapes real-world organisational design and operations:
➡️ Steve Hales – Viable Service Management: Operations
A practical look at how organisations interface with users through different types of ‘repair’ (cybernetic) loops – from IT services and the NHS to car servicing. Steve explores how users are drawn into organisational processes and what that means for managing operational viability.
➡️ Tim Manning – Practical Application of Systems Thinking to Enterprise Design
Drawing on nearly 30 years of practice, Tim explores how systems thinking underpins effective enterprise design. He’ll share lessons from business architecture and Target Operating Model design – and how we can apply systems thinking more rigorously to build organisations fit for the future.
📅 Date: Monday, 19 May 2025
🕡 Time: 18:30–21:00 (UK time, GMT+1)
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/g2xR_VtY
Hosted by SCiO – the professional body for systems practitioners.
Systems Community of Inquiry 
You must be logged in to post a comment.