Why study the complexity sciences in the social sciences?

Author(s): White, M. C., Long, R. G.

Journal/Book: Hum Relat. 1999; 52: 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, USA. Plenum Publ Corp. 439-462.

Abstract: Over the past two decades, several new perspectives have emerged in the physical and natural sciences and are collectively referred to as the complexity sciences. Insights from these emerging perspectives have implications that merit consideration for developments and extensions of existing work at the metatheoretical, theoretical, and methodological levels in organization theory. The purpose of this manuscript is to: (a) provide an overview of the complexity sciences, (b) provide a justification and rationale for their inclusion into the social sciences, and (c) review the current organizational literature which utilizes and applies concepts from the complexity sciences to organizational phenomena.

Note: Article White MC, Louisiana Tech Univ, POB 10318, Ruston,LA 71272 USA

Keyword(s): complexity; chaos theory; catastrophe theory; systems; DISSIPATIVE STRUCTURE MODEL; SELF-ORGANIZED CRITICALITY; CHAOS THEORY; NONLINEAR DYNAMICS; STRATEGIC CHANGE; SYSTEMS; TRANSFORMATION; PERSPECTIVE; PARADIGM; ADAPTATION

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