EMERGENCE (EMERGENT PROPERTIES)

Risk Management and Decision Making Glossary

Risk Management and Decision Making — Emergence (emergent properties)

Information on Emergence (emergent properties).

Emergent properties are properties exhibited by a complete (hooked-up) system that cannot be exhibited by the parts of the system in isolation (Kline 1995: 316). They depend on interactions between components (including the environment). Consider a bicycle composed of a frame, two wheels, pedals, a drive chain, saddle, handlebars, brakes etc. The primary emergent property of dynamic balance is only produced by the combination of the rider and the bicycle. Only when human power, control and intelligence (and a road surface) are added does the bicycle become a means of transport. Take any one away and the system falls apart. Emergent properties therefore cannot be predicted solely by looking at the components. See Flood (1999), Kline (1995), Senge (1990); and Stevens, Brook, Jackson and Arnold (1998).

To suggest other entries to improve our glossary, please contact Argos Press. © Argos Press Pty Ltd, Canberra, 2003-2004. All rights reserved. Please contact Argos Press Pty Ltd for all requests to reproduce, broadcast, adapt and communicate Argos Press content (such as this entry on Emergence (emergent properties).).