Turbulences and disorder in general systems theory

Abstract

Purpose

Previous articles have studied the basic behaviour and structure of the systems‐linkage from several points of view and were interested primarily in the different objects which compose a system‐linkage and the properties generated by the iterations of the associated structural function. Some of these properties raised the idea of the existence of order within a system‐linkage, but that idea was only semantic. There was not any formal definition of order within a system‐linkage. The purpose of this paper is to define more precisely what is understood to be an “ordered” system‐linkage, as well as studying before one of the main cases of disorder in these systems: turbulences.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a reminder is given of all the concepts and proved results that readers need for understanding the paper. Then, two new and important definitions are given: definition of ordered system‐linkage and the definition of turbulence. The paper proves several questions linking this definition with the main objects which appear within a system‐linkage. Several examples of turbulences will be showed using graphs.

Findings

The definition of turbulence presented, basically refers to the dependent relationship between two subsets disjoint from the M set of variables, once the associated structural function operates on them. It is a good example of disorder within a system‐linkage and, moreover, it is a good example of how the initial conditions, in a lot of cases, do not allow to see the real relationships between the variables or sets of them of a system‐linkage.

Originality/value

It is the first time that an ordered system‐linkage is formalized. Moreover, the situation of turbulence, under the qualitative point of view, is also shown for the first time.

Citation

Esteve‐Calvo, P. and Lloret‐Climent, M. (2009), "Turbulences and disorder in general systems theory", Kybernetes, Vol. 38 No. 7/8, pp. 1191-1197. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910976907