The question of what self-organization is is very interesting. Consider it in this article. Self-organization of systems is an irreversible process, which leads as a result of the interaction of its various participants to the emergence of more efficient structures.
The study of society and nature shows that many open complex formations, which consist of a large number of subsystems, are capable, under specific conditions, of evolution and self-organization.
History of the study of self-organization
For social and natural processes, the importance of self-organization has been studied, albeit at a theological or abstract philosophical level, since the time of Aristotle. Hundreds of works have been written about how our world works, what is the root cause of the stability and integrity of the universe, which has existed for billions of years. This problem became especially urgent in the last century, in its second half. This is due to the development of cybernetics.
Cybernetic understanding
In philosophy, for a long time the view of this process as a phenomenon inherent only in living systems dominated. Self-organization in nature, for example, is an organism, a living cell, a biological population. Watch a flock of birds, ants or bees, and you will understand what it is.
The cybernetic understanding of self-organization, that is, its definition as a hierarchical centralized structure, where information comes down from the feedback channel only as the final result, and is solved only at the top, was unable to reflect the real functioning of the systems, its complexity, and also to create models for explaining the processes, which occur in complex associations.
Non-classical approach
Inside cybernetics in the second half of the 1950s, a non-classical direction was born, created to study various systems (self-organization of matter, society). Within its framework, a mechanism was proposed that is closer to synergetic than to cybernetic (which is considered classical). N. Wiener, the founder of cybernetics, became one of the non-classics who investigated the principle of self-organization. In the XX century, in the early 1960s, M.L. Tsetlin, a Soviet scientist, wrote that if we consider management as happening in an addressable way from top to bottom, then the system will then be very complex. If the rules of the game are specified, the machines themselves find the necessary actions without needing instructions. Such, in his opinion, is the principle of self-organization.
Synergetics as a discipline
The discipline of synergetics, which appeared in the West, by 1975 was established as a new direction in science, very promising, significantly expanding the range of various processes of self-organization, previously studied by cybernetics. In the works of this direction, it can be noted that self-organization as a phenomenon is considered as universal for both inanimate and living systems. It was with the introduction into science of the term “synergetics” that the appearance of two main approaches to research was noted: synergetic and cybernetic. These two concepts differ primarily in relation to the purposefulness of systemic behavior, which is observed when self-organization processes are present.
Differences between the synergetic and cybernetic approach
The cybernetic approach presupposes the presence of a predetermined goal, to which the system independently aspires, around which it organizes itself. A synergistic approach does not require a goal. From his point of view, as an effect of cooperation between various elements of the system, self-organization is manifested.
Two approaches have in common
Both synergetics and cybernetics attach great importance to such a concept as "management", while pursuing various goals. Cybernetics develops methods and algorithms that allow you to control this system so that it operates in a predetermined manner. In the course of an experiment in synergetics, various control parameters change in a certain way, and self-organization is studied as a reaction to them, that is, to the various states into which the system goes under the influence of similar control levers. That is, under the action of a certain governing body, a cybernetic system is organized, and in a synergistic system, its control parameters are not directly affected. They only trigger the mechanism of internal self-organization. In both synergetic and cybernetic systems, the behavior looks focused, but in the first case, the system chooses the path of development to its higher organization, and in the second, this goal is set in advance.
Synergetics and self-organization
Today the meaning of the word "self-organization" is close to the concept of "synergetics". They are often used in science as synonyms. In fact, both of these concepts study how organization emerges from chaos in space and time (processes of self-organization) and opposite phenomena (processes of self-disorganization), which can be observed in systems of any nature that are complex, open, nonequilibrium and dynamic. Both of the aforementioned mechanisms (synergetic and cybernetic) have a single basis: communications that spontaneously arise between elements, allowing you to create structures, organize in the system due to local interactions carried out without any control commands.
Self-organizing system trend
Initially, speaking of the phenomenon of self-organization that is present in complex systems, it is assumed that they strive for homeostatic stability, preservation of integrity. The following main tendency that exists in the behavior of some self-organizing association can be noted: to be as far away as possible from the state of chaos, maximum entropy, equilibrium. Synergetics, on the other hand, argue that there is no development without instability, it occurs through chance, stress. Crises and instability contribute to the selection and identification of the best. The economic crisis, for example, disciplines, organizes, gives the young and active the opportunity to break ahead, and the lazy and weak to give them a place in the market. A system that can be considered good, as it knows the boundaries that are possible in a given area of instability, permissible stochasticity, and introduces itself according to some laws into a state that activates the mechanisms of self-organization. That is, she fights entropy, taking risks.
Self-organization of a system is a process of changing its characteristics (or state) that occurs without a definite purposeful beginning, regardless of the sources of goal-setting. The causes of its mechanisms can be both internal and external. This is characteristic of phenomena such as self-organization in nature, society or inanimate systems. You can also talk about the elements of this process.
The set of self-organization mechanisms
We found out what self-organization is in nature, inanimate systems and society. What are its mechanisms? The totality of all mechanisms of self-organization includes selection, heredity, and variability. This is what N. N. Moiseev, an academician, calls the market. It is he who offers many options, and stability, system laws and principles of selection select the most effective of them. The market, according to Moses, studied by Ricardo and Smith, is a special case of the so-called universal market. Nature could not come up with another scheme. Therefore, people followed the already beaten path, because another simply did not exist: the logic by which the economy of nature and the human economy self-organize is common.
Types of self-organization
Sometimes scientists distinguish social, biological and technical varieties of self-organization, believing that their mechanisms are based on various principles:
- social (self-organization of society) is based on a specific social program to harmonize relations, including laws, values and priorities that change over time;
- biological is based on a species conservation program (genetic), as well as on selection, heredity and variability (Darwin triad);
- the technical one relies on a program that automatically changes a certain algorithm of action under changing conditions (autopilot, homing missiles, etc.).
Clarification of what self-organization is, the knowledge of the existing relationship between it and organization in social systems is the most important task of science. In any company, the company, along with purposeful management carried out using plans, documents, instructions, instructions, regulations, there are always self-organization processes that are associated with the properties of the system as a whole, with certain synergistic effects. So how much should this self-organization be? Are there any general principles? Is there an opportunity to develop recommendations on this subject with the help of practical knowledge and a modern language?
Self-organization in social systems
It is known that the more rigid the management system is, the less space there is for self-organization and creativity. But, having released the elements of the system into free swimming, we will not be able to achieve our goal. The self-organization of society, on the one hand, is achieved through unauthorized activities, informal cooperation. But on the other - thanks to well-organized, purposeful actions of managers, with the help of a clearly defined goal.
So what is self-organization in society? In social systems, evolution involves the following:
- The presence of a predetermined goal, to which the system independently strives, self-organizing around this task. Priorities of innovative development, creative approach, professional growth, as well as enhancing the prestige of the corresponding labor activity play a large role.
- Adaptability, variability and flexibility of management structures. Administrative methods are supplanted by socio-psychological ones. Modern network flexible structures reinforce existing synergies, thereby providing an increase in the total effect. Hierarchical rigid leave small opportunities for self-organization. It manifests itself in the fact that small independent units are not connected in everyday activities by bureaucratic structures that impede the coordination of decisions vertically and horizontally.
- Decentralization, diversification, increasing the productivity of an individual participant, everyone's involvement in decision-making on management, as well as labor motivation.
- Use for various purposes of transferring information, production facilities, know-how, knowledge, etc.
- Self-control, self-education, self-education. The company should create certain conditions for this.
- Self-development necessary for the organization to move to a new level (change of structure, development of a new goal, accumulation of information about the structure).
We examined what self-organization is, its definition, specificity and types. As you can see, this common term today refers to phenomena in living and non-living systems. That is, the self-organization of matter and society is in many ways similar. This process is very interesting as a universal property of systems.