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Complexity

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Complex System Governance

Part of the book series: Topics in Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality ((TSRQ,volume 40))

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Abstract

Complexity is an essential and fundamental concept in complex systems. The most rudimentary perspective of complexity suggests a large number of entities/variables in rich interaction, not totally “knowable,” subject to emergence, and dynamically changing over time. However, for complex system governance (CSG), complexity has much more profound ramifications than the rudimentary perspective. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to explore in-depth the nature, role, and implications of complexity for CSG. Three central themes of complexity are explored. First, the many different variations of complexity are synthesized into a set of cogent themes to provide a grounded perspective to inform CSG. Second, the role that complexity holds for the emerging CSG field is explored. Additionally, insights into the themes are provided in relation to CSG. Third, a set of implications of complexity for the design, deployment, and development aspects of CSG are examined. These implications are examined considering both field development as well as practice for CSG. The chapter closes with complexity-related challenges for CSG field development along with theoretical, methodological, and practice implications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Norfolk, Virginia, USA

    Charles W. Chesterman Jr. & Charles B. Keating

  2. Adelaide, Australia

    Vernon Ireland

Authors
  1. Charles W. Chesterman Jr.
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  2. Charles B. Keating
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  3. Vernon Ireland
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Correspondence to Charles W. Chesterman Jr. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Charles B. Keating

  2. Department of Informatics and Engineering Systems, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC, USA

    Polinpapilinho F. Katina

  3. Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Charles W. Chesterman Jr.

  4. Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA

    James C. Pyne

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Chesterman, C.W., Keating, C.B., Ireland, V. (2022). Complexity. In: Keating, C.B., Katina, P.F., Chesterman Jr., C.W., Pyne, J.C. (eds) Complex System Governance. Topics in Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality, vol 40. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93852-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93852-9_2

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