Emergence as a process of self-organizing - New assumptions and insights from the study of non-linear dynamic systems

Complexity researchers have identified four basic assumptions underlying no n-linear dynamic systems (NDS): the assumption that change is a constant; t he assumption that emergent systems are not reducible to their parts; the a ssumption of mutual dependence; and the assumption that complex systems beh ave in non-proportional ways. In this pai,cr I use these new assumptions as a basis for explaining why order Emerges in organizations, and for uncover ing a three-stage process model of complex adaptive systems change (CASC). The insights from these NDS models are revealed through examples from two e ntrepreneurial firms undergoing transformative shifts in their development. These assumptions of NDS and the model of CASC may therefore be useful for understanding order creation and sell-organizing processes in tooth groups , project ventures, and organizations.