Complexity Theory and the Fifth Discipline

Complexity Theory is a relatively new area of research, which has been applied successfully in the chemical and biological sciences and is now beginning to find applications in the social sciences, especially in economics and organizational analysis. The paper sets out an understanding of Complexity Theory and its application to problems in the Management area and, in particular, relates current Complexity Theory thinking in Management with Senge's approach of the “Fifth Discipline.” It puts forward a set of principles for Complexity Theory in organization which form the basis for this comparison. After raising some concerns about the concept of self-organization, which is shown to be one of the key concepts in Complexity Theory, and the apparent lack of focus in Complexity Theory research to date with organizational politics and success criteria, the paper concludes by considering whether, at present, Complexity Theory can be considered to have deeper applications in addition to providing useful metaphors relevant to organizational analysis.