Complexity theory and. the quantum interpretation

Transcription

1 The Euromedian Management Approach Complexity theory and the quantum interpretation Walter Baets, PhD, HDR Associate Dean for Research MBA Director Professor Complexity, Knowledge and Innovation Euromed Marseille Ecole de Management

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3 Flatland: Edwin Abbott, 1884 A. Square meets the third dimension

4 Taylor s view on the brain The computer: attempt to Manipulating symbols Represent the world Intelligence = problem solving automate human thinking Modeling the brain Simulate interaction of neurons Intelligence = learning 0-1 Logic and mathematics Approximations, statistics Rationalist, reductionist Idealized, holistic Became the way of building computers Became the way of lo ooking at minds

5 Sometimes small differences in the initial conditions generate very large differences in the final phenomena. former could produce a A slight error in the tremendous error in the latter. Prediction becomes impossible; we have accidental phenomena. Poincaré in 1903

6 Sensitivity to initial conditions (Lorenz) X n+1 = a * X * (1 - X n n )

7 Cobweb Diagrams (Att tractors/period Doubling) X n+1 = μ * X n * (1 - X n ) (stepfunction) dx / dt = μ X (1 - X) (continuous function) On the diagrams one gets: Parabolic curve Diagonal line X n+1 = X n Line connecting iterations

8 Why can chaos not be avoided d? Social systems are always dynamic and non-linear Measurement can never be correct Management is alw ways a discontinuous i approximation of a continuous phenomenon

9 Irriversibility ibili of ti me principle/ i Constructive role of time (Ilya Prigogine) Newtonian fixed time-space concept is finished i (Quantum mechanics) Artificial i life research / Interacting ti agents (John Holland; Chris Langton)

10 Self-creation and self-organization of systems and struc ctures (autopoièse) Organization as a ne eural network The embodied mind Enacted cognition But: self-reference f e is the devil Morphic fields and morphic resonance (Rupert Sheldrake) Francesco Varela a

11 Law of increasing (Brian Arthur) returns Characteristics of the information economy (a non-linear dynam ic system) Phenomenon of increasing returns Positive feed-back No equilibrium Quantum structure of business (WB)

12 Summary (until now) Non - linearity Dynamic behavio or Dependence on initial conditions Period doubling Existence of attractors Determinism Emergence at th he edge of chaos

13 Gödel s theorem: 1931 No absolute axiomatic system is possible Relativity theory (Einstein): first part of the 20st century No absolute measurement is possible Quantum mechanics: first part of the 20st century Observation is interpretati ion Complexity theory (Prigogine): second part of 20st century Emergence, bifurcations, strange attractors

14 Once holism and compl exity accepted we cannot avoid a fundamental question PAULI complementary physics Synchronicity y (=occurring together-in-time) From causal coherence (from cause to effect) Coincidence (occurring together) A-causal links hence.

15 A quantum interpretation non-lo ocality; synchro onicity; entanglement

16 Mechanistic versus organic: The evolution in business Product oriented Unique distribution channels Control Stability Management by objective Processes are the assets Hierarchical organization Machine thinking (symbolic) Industrial era The client co-creates Multiple channels Emergent processes Change (learning) is the goal Management in change and complexity Learning is the asset Human networks Human thinking (fuzzy) Knowledge era

17 Some quantum stories Maxwell, Planck and Bohr: introduced criteria such as fertility, beauty and coherence Heisenberg, Pauli, Jordan and Dirac: we no longer have event-by-event causality and particles do not follow well-defined trajectories in a space-time background In 1935, Schrödinger formulated his famous cat paradox Pauli: Background physics s has an archetypal origin i and that t leads to a natural science which will work just as well with matter as with consciousness Pauli accepted that physical values, as much as archetypes, change in the eyes of the observer. Observation is the result of human consciousnesss

18 So, on the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics, physical processes are, at the most fundamental level, both inherently indeterministic an d non-local. The ontology of classical physics is dead. The heart of the problem is the entanglement (or non-separab bility) of quantum states that gives rise to the measurement problem. This entanglement makes it impossible to assign independent properties to an arbitrary isolated physical system once it has interacted with another system in the past even though these two systems are no longer interac cting. The non-separability characteristic of quantum systems can be seen as an indication of the holistic character of such systems.

19 A quantum interpretation In the arts: Cara et Murphy In linguistics: Dalla Chiarra et Giuntini In the physical sciences: Pauli In biology: Sheldrake (morphogenetic fields and resonance) In medicine: i Chopra, the Ay yurveda, but also increasingly i in regular medicine

20 A beginning g of Some research projects evidence Complexity and emergent learning in innovation projects: Agents, Sara Lee/DE Innovation in SME s: a network structure: ANNs, brainstorm sessio ons Telemedecin: a systemic research into the ICT innovations in the medical care market: Agents Knowledge management at Akzo Nobel: improving the knowledge creation ability: ANNs, Akzo Nobel Information ecology: For the moment a conceptual model Agents Conflict management Agents Knowledge management at Bison: contribution tibti to innovation Agents

21 Research agenda In search of «synchronicity it» Expected contributions Can we visualize synchronicity in management What are the organizing principles and what is precisely emergence Emergent concepts in management «Complex Adaptive Systems s» as research tools Agents, Neural Networks, Learning systems The contribution of this paradigm for knowledge, learning and innovation i in companies Another understanding of innovation