Self-renewal of SystemsPirjo Ståhle, Professor,Innovation Executive ACSI

Two dynamics of self-renewal

• Self-organization – Ilya Prigogine

• Autopoiesis and self-reference – Humberto Maturana and

Fransisco Varela– Niklas Luhmann

A person can understand a system only by participating in it.

Niklas Luhmann

Luhmann emphasises constant ongoing development; a change where the core

identity of the system remains.

Prigogine emphasises quick and radical change; self-organization and spontaneous

transformation.

Both Prigogine and Luhmann say that the core of renewal is communication on micro

level.

• The quality of the communication within the system defines its capability for renewal, radical change, innovation and influence.

• Both point out the importance of the formal and informal power structures of the system; the either promote or prohibit communication within the system.

The antecedants of self-organization

• Far from equilibrium• Entropy

•Iteration

•Bifurcation

Chaos or unstability lead to innovation and self-organization only if the antecedants are being met.

Otherwise the outcome is only disruption.

Self-referential systems – continuous renewal

• Communication is the basic unit of self-referential systems.

• Communication refers to action, event and understanding not primarily to the content

• The purpose of communication is to lead on to choices not on to consensus.

• Only communication can create situations that open new possibilities.

Antecedants of autopoietic self-renewal

1. Self-referential closure– What we are not -> what we are– Using others as a (negative) mirror– The ultimate goal is to define itself as a

entity that jumps out from the environment

2. Double contingency

– The relationship between two people is the basic of renewal

• positive dependency on each others

• equality and voluntariness

– The links between people create the limits for learning and renewal.

– Relationship forming is always based on risk taking. If the risks are not taken, the whole system is being blocked.

3. Processing meaning

• All systems test and create trust before being able to process meanings. Processing meanings is based on the trusty relationships in the system.

• The system’s capability of processing meanings leads on to quick renewal