Chaos Theory and Organization

Abstract

Many authors have stressed the existence of continuous processes of convergence and divergence, stability and instability, evolution and revolution in every organization. This article argues that these processes are embedded in organizational characteristics and in the way organizations are managed. Organizations are presented as nonlinear dynamic systems subject to forces of stability and forces of instability which push them toward chaos. When in a chaotic domain, organizations are likely to exhibit the qualitative properties of chaotic systems. Several of these properties—sensitivity to initial conditions, discreteness of change, attraction to specific configurations, structural invariance at different scales and irreversibility—are used to establish six propositions. First, because of the coupling of counteracting forces, organizations are potentially chaotic. Second, the path from organizational stability to chaos follows a discrete process of change. Third, when the organization is in the chaotic domain, small changes can have big consequences that cannot be predicted in the long term. Fourth, from chaos, new stabilities emerge—the strange attractors—which are assimilated to organizational configurations. Fifth, similar patterns should be found at different scales. Finally, during one single organizational life span or between two different organizations similar actions should never lead to the same result.

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“…Barnhurst (2011) Generally speaking, organizations have contrary actors at play. While some actors steer the organization toward stability and order through planning, structure and control, other actors push the organization toward instability and disorder through innovation, initiative and experimentation (Thietart and Forgues 1995). Thietart and Forgues (1995) write: 'The coupling of these forces can lead to a highly complex situation: a chaotic organization ' (1995, 23).…”

“…Without order, an organization would fall into complete chaos and, in essence, would not be an organization. Without some chaos, the organization would grow stale, failing to innovate and adapt (Thietart and Forgues 1995). However, even in chaos there is stability.…”

“…Initially, chaos theory was introduced and applied in the field of mathematics to explain nonlinear dynamics, which is 'the study of the temporal evolution of nonlinear systems (Kiel and Elliott 1997, 1)'. More recently, chaos theory has been introduced in many different fields to explain the influence of change on the stability of organizations (Thietart and Forgues 1995). Thietart and Forgues (1995) concluded that the forces of change and stability create chaotic organizations.…”

“…More recently, chaos theory has been introduced in many different fields to explain the influence of change on the stability of organizations (Thietart and Forgues 1995). Thietart and Forgues (1995) concluded that the forces of change and stability create chaotic organizations. In this study, chaos theory will be utilized to examine perceptions of the broadcast work environment during times of unprecedented transition.…”

Nonlinear Dynamics in Psychology

“…One line of thinking emphases the contrasts between systems thinking and the nonlinear dynamics of change against the mechanistic and static view of conventional management (Kiel,PSYCHOLOGY APPLICATIONS 25 1994; Thietart and Forgues, 1995;Anderson, popularity as an operating theory of the psyche Meyer, Eisenhardt, Carley and Pettigrew, 1999). and as a treatment method, the theory eventually…”