Coping with uncertainty: New forms of knowledge production

Abstract

The paper introduces the concept, of self-organisation as a concept which explains in a general way the emergence of order. It shows how this concept can be used to describe social dynamics, i.e. the mutual construction of social institutions and the social processes which are regulated by these institutions. The driving force of this mutual construction is called ‘coping with uncertainty’. This concept is shown to be fruitful in the discussion of innovation networks, a new form of knowledge production.