Chaos

Overview What is chaos theory? What is the history of chaos theory? Does chaos theory affect me? Answers to these common questions can be found at introductory chaos theory Web pages. If you’re interested in more detailed chaos theory resources, books, articles, and other publications are available online. Other useful learning tools include examples of simplified chaotic systems, such as the popular “Butterfly Effect.”

General Information Chaos theory, by nature, is confusing. A clear and concise introduction to chaos theory can be found in the article “Chaos Theory: A Brief Introduction” by Gregory Rae. The essay answers questions such as “What is chaos?” and “When was chaos discovered?”. Do you need a graphical introduction to chaos theory? If so, visit johnbanks.maths.latrobe.edu.au/chaos/, a site that includes John Banks’ article “Chaos: A pictorial Introduction”. A long list of links to chaos theory information for the beginner can be found at this Open Directory Project page.

Online Chaos Resources A good place to begin looking for online chaos theory resources is the ChaosForum site at www.chaosforum.com, a site that includes a quick introduction to chaos theory, a set of interesting FAQs, and a bibliography. Visit hypertextbook.com/chaos/ to read an illustrated online book on the subject. Chaos theory publications can be found at www.cs.umd.edu/projects/hpsl/ResearchAreas/research2.htm. These publications include articles, books, papers, and bibliographies. If you’re searching for reviews of current chaos theory books, look no further than http://www.mindconnection.com/interests/chaostheory.htm.

Additional Links A classic example of chaos theory is that a very small action can have an enormous impact on a large, dynamic system. For example, the flapping of a butterfly's wings can affect the weather patterns that create hurricanes. To fully understand this idea, you will also need to understand systems thinking. The Change Management Toolbook site clearly explains systems concepts by means of easy-to-understand examples and graphics. The Web site’s author, Holger Nauheimer, is an organizational development consultant in Germany. 

If applying chaos theory to situations in the business world (or your life) seems to be an overwhelming challenge, then the article ”Chaos and Complexity -- Knowledge management?” can help you. The author, Michael R. Lissack, a research associate at the Henley Management College in England, outlines how the language of complexity theory can serve as useful metaphors in management contexts.