Name: Bryan Francis Tan Zhi Hao

NRIC: S9515368B
Essay Title: Chaos Theory
Content:
Chaos Theory is a delirious contradiction a science of predicting the behaviour of
inherently unpredictable systems. It is a mathematical tool that allows us to extract beautifully
ordered structures from a sea of chaos, opening up a hidden world of intricate rules and patterns.
The theory embodies two main facets chaotic systems, regardless of their complexity, possess an
underlying order that they rely upon and small adjustments to the system can result in tremendous
differences in a later state. This understanding supplies us with a new and provocative paradigm to
view complex systems and provides a more accurate and predictable way to analyse the current and
future actions of such systems.
The new wisdom of chaotic motion has important applications in all branches of science and,
in general, to our evolving culture. In the last decade, Chaos Theory was responsible for producing
many clear and useful models for the description of systems with complex behaviour. For instance,
in the stock market, by plotting stock market variations and matching them with chaotic analyses,
one might predict future behaviours of the market. It is also having major impact on quantum
physics and attempts to reconcile the chaos of quantum physics with the predictability of Newtons
universe. In biology, chaos is used in the identification of new evolutionary processes leading to
greater understanding of genetic algorithms, artificial life simulations and previously taboo areas of
research such as consciousness. Evidently, Chaos Theory has its influence in various physical and
social fields of study. Its undeniable contribution in accelerating mankinds grasp of complex systems
is irreplaceable and thus is a significant aspect of modern sciences.
One prominent aspect where Chaos Theory has made an impact is in organizations. The
complexity of organizations is such that experts have searched for metaphors and models to help
describe and explain the complex social phenomena observed. Hence, concepts from Chaos Theory
have recently been applied as a model for interpreting and improving organizational behaviour.
Formal organizational management patterns often confuse order with the popular notion of
control businesses are focused on structure and defined by organizational charts and job
descriptions. Charts are drawn to illustrate who is accountable to whom or who plays what role and
when. Business experts are proponents of the micro-managing view of traditional management;
they build models of organizational practice and policy with hope that this atomizing yields better
information on how to improve the organization's functioning. However, chaos theory implies that
this is unnecessary and even harmful.
Applying Chaos Theory to organizational behaviour, organizations are viewed as chaotic
systems subject to properties of the theory. When in a chaotic domain, businesses will exhibit
intrinsic attributes of stability, which will augment if left to cultivate. Hence, chaos theorists suggest
organisations allow some form of autonomy, encouraging the business to enact multiple iterations
of its own functioning. An organization of this form is known as a fractal organization, one that trusts

in natural organizational phenomena to order itself. Self-organizing systems are those enabled to
grow and evolve with free will. These systems can harness the power of creativity, evolution, and
free willall within the boundaries of the organization's overall vision and culture.
Often considered as one of the three greatest triumphs in the 21st century, Chaos Theory is
a fresh approach at perceiving the many systems in the universe. In organisations, Chaos Theory
simply suggests that organisations respond best to fundamental changes if they are not perfectly
aligned with their environment but poised on the "edge of chaos". In 1991, James Marti speculated
that Chaos might be the new world order. And it definitely might.