Managing complexity in social systems

This book explores how to manage complexity in a highly interconnected world. How can complexity be managed when it cannot be reduced? From organizational addiction to market failure, from limits to growth to the rebound effect, from tragedy of the commons to path dependence, answers are anything but trivial, and can only be found by combining insights from complexity science, system dynamics, system theory and systems thinking. This book bridges the gap between rigorous science and real-life experience to explore the potential and limitations of systems archetypes and their leverage points in implementing effective policies and strategies. It is grounded in Jay Forrester’s language of stock and flow diagrams to address issues of circular causality and causal loops in social systems.