Complex Adaptive Systems Theory Research Articles

Analysis on the Evolution Characteristics of Rural Tourism Public Service System from the Perspective of Digitalization—Empirical Evidence from the Silk Road Economic Belt

The integration of digitalization with public tourism services has emerged as a new model for the development of the rural tourism public services. The Silk Road Economic Belt is a crucial area for the future development of the tourism industry. Exploring the coupling of the digitalization and the development trends of the rural tourism public services is significant for advancing rural tourism in this region. This study applies Complex Adaptive Systems theory and Synergy theory to the development of the digitization of rural tourism public services, clarifying the structure of the digitization of the rural tourism public service system. Based on this, a collaborative development evaluation system for the digitization of rural tourism public services is constructed, focusing on the Silk Road Economic Belt. By using the SMI-P evaluation model, ArcGIS spatial visualization, Gini coefficient, and kernel density methods, the collaborative development of the digitization of the rural tourism public service system was measured and analyzed in this paper. The findings reveal the following: (1) The collaborative development of the digitization of the rural tourism public service system in the Silk Road Economic Belt shows a gradual upward trend, yet the overall level of the collaboration is transitioning from a state of imbalance. (2) Compared to the Southwest, the Northwest exhibits a lower overall level of collaboration, with growing disparities in collaborative development indices among provinces, although there is a trend toward higher levels of aggregation. (3) The development of the rural tourism public services is trending toward a favorable state of multi-dimensional collaboration, characterized by significant regional features, including multi-polarization and unbalanced development. Finally, optimization paths for the digital development of the rural tourism public services were proposed in this study, which can provide guidance for improving the construction of the digitization of the rural tourism public service system and exploring clear development pathways.

The Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems: A New Paradigm for Nursing

Background/Objectives: This article explores the theoretical and practical implications of the meaning of thinking, living, and acting within the framework of nursing in Complex Adaptive Systems. The Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems is grounded in the principles of Complex Adaptive Systems (CASs). It seeks to offer a new paradigm for nursing practice that addresses healthcare’s dynamic and evolving nature. Methods: The Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems represents a new nursing paradigm capable of addressing the challenges of a constantly evolving healthcare environment. This theory promotes personalized care plans adaptable to patients’ changing needs by emphasizing a holistic and interactive approach to care. Results: It also underscores the importance of interprofessional collaboration and effective communication in improving the quality of care. The Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems has significant implications for nursing practice, education, and research. Conclusions: It provides a robust framework for developing adaptive and resilient nursing practices that can respond to the complexities of modern healthcare. By integrating the principles of CASs into nursing, the Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems fosters a more flexible, interdependent, and holistic approach to patient care, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and improving healthcare systems. This theory has practical applications in various healthcare settings, offering a framework for personalized and adaptable care plans that respond to the dynamic needs of patients while improving overall system efficiency. Future research should focus on the empirical validation of the Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems and its practical implementation in various healthcare settings.

Voluntary Turnover Rate Fluctuations, Human Resource Practices, and Innovation: A Within‐Organization Investigation

ABSTRACTOrganizations constantly navigate voluntary employee departures to facilitate organizational effectiveness. To date, most studies on the implications of voluntary turnover rate have been conducted at the between‐organization level, comparing organizations with varying levels of voluntary turnover rates. Building upon complex adaptive system (CAS) theory, we develop within‐organization theorizing regarding the implications of voluntary turnover rate fluctuations for organizational innovation. We propose a U‐shape threshold model, where the relationship between voluntary turnover rate fluctuations and innovation takes a negative form when voluntary turnover rate fluctuations are within the normal range for an organization, and a positive form when voluntary turnover rate fluctuations surpass a critical threshold reflecting far‐from‐equilibrium conditions. Furthermore, we investigate how organizations may utilize human resource (HR) practices to shift the critical threshold. Specifically, we argue that increased reliance on interaction‐facilitating HR practices (employee participation and group‐based pay) lowers the threshold, while increased reliance on interaction‐inhibiting HR practices (individual‐based pay) raises the threshold. With firm‐fixed effects modeling, we found general support for our hypotheses using a large‐scale, multi‐level, longitudinal dataset from Statistics Canada (7110 workplace‐year observations from 1980 workplaces). We provide a novel theoretical lens to understand the nature and management of collective turnover.

Opioid-specific harm reduction in the emergency department: how staff provide harm reduction and contextual factors that impact their capacity to engage in harm reduction practice

BackgroundEmergency Departments (ED) staff, including nurses and physicians, are most directly involved in the care of people who use unregulated substances, and are ideally positioned to provide harm reduction interventions. Conceptualizing the ED as a complex adaptive system, this paper examines how ED staff experience opioid-specific harm reduction provision and engage in harm reduction practice, including potential facilitators and barriers to engagement.MethodsUsing a mixed methods approach, ED nurses and physicians completed a self-administered staff survey (n = 99) and one-on-one semi-structured interviews (n = 15). Five additional interviews were completed with clinical leaders. Survey data were analyzed to generate descriptive statistics and to compute scale scores. De-identified interview data were analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach, which was informed by the theory of complex adaptive systems, as well as understandings of harm reduction as both a technical solution and a contextualized social practice. The final analysis involved mixed analysis through integrating both quantitative and qualitative data to generate overarching analytical themes.ResultsStudy findings illustrated that, within the context of the ED as a complex adaptive system, three interrelated contextual factors shape the capacity of staff to engage in harm reduction practice, and to implement the full range of opioid-specific harm reduction interventions available. These factors include opportunities to leverage benefits afforded by working collaboratively with colleagues, adequate preparation through receiving the necessary education and training, and support in helping patients establish connections for ongoing care.ConclusionsThere is a need for harm reduction provision across all health and social care settings where people who use unregulated opioids access public sector services. In the context of the ED, attention to contextual factors including teamwork, preparedness, and connections is warranted to support that ED staff engage in harm reduction practice.

Generational persona and entrepreneurial behavior among millennial entrepreneurs: the mediating role of adaptability tendencies

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between generational persona, adaptability tendencies and entrepreneurial behavior. The paper also aims at testing the mediating role of adaptability tendencies in the relationship between generational persona and entrepreneurial behavior among millennial entrepreneurs in an African setting.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopts a quantitative methodological approach with a cross-sectional, questionnaire survey and correlational design where hypotheses were statistically tested using Structural Equation Modelling based on survey data (n = 382) from millennial entrepreneurs in Kampala Uganda.FindingsDrawing on the sample of 382 millennial entrepreneurs in Kampala, findings show that both generational persona and adaptability tendencies are positively and significantly associated with entrepreneurial behavior. Results further indicate that adaptability tendencies partially mediates the relationship between generational persona and entrepreneurial behavior among millennial entrepreneurs.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focused only on millennial entrepreneurs in Kampala Uganda ignoring other equally important groups of entrepreneurs like the baby boomers, generation Xers, generation Y and others. As such, the findings of this research do not entirely apply to all entrepreneurs in the country and this may have affected the generalizability of the results. Therefore, future studies can be done on the entrepreneurial behavior focusing on all entrepreneurs from all generations. Also, the study used a quantitative approach, future studies should consider a mixed methodology, which may give a more holistic understanding of entrepreneurial behavior.Practical implicationsIn practice, millennial entrepreneurs may use the results of the study to see how they can improve their performance for their businesses to benefit. Specifically, they ought to focus on adaptability, and generational persona to exhibit those entrepreneurial behaviors which will generally lead to the improvement of their businesses.Originality/valueTo the authors’ knowledge, this study provides a shred of initial empirical evidence on the relationship between generational persona, adaptability tendencies and entrepreneurial behavior using evidence from a low developed African country Uganda. Mostly, this study provides initial evidence of the mediating role of adaptability tendencies in the relationship between generational persona and entrepreneurial behavior. This study incorporates the Generational Cohort Theory and the Complex Adaptive Systems Theory into an applied theoretical framework that explains entrepreneurial behavior. More still, this study answers the call for more empirical studies on entrepreneurial behavior.

Circular supply chains as complex adaptive ecosystems: A simulation-based approach

Circular Supply Chains (CSCs) are self-sustained ecosystems designed to pursue Circular Economy principles. Compared to linear supply chains, they involve new classes of stakeholders performing circular activities and multiple resource streams (e.g. virgin materials, by-products, end-of-life products, waste) moving forward and back the original and different supply chains. Therefore, CSCs are characterized by increasing complexity that call for proper coordination mechanisms. In this regard, we propose a theoretical framework, based on the theory of Complex Adaptive Systems, capturing the static and dynamic dimensions of CSC complexity which characterize the archetype of a CSC and then we develop a novel agent-based model to simulate the effect of competition and collaboration mechanisms on CSC performance across different CSC archetypes. The results of numerical simulations suggest which mechanism to adopt for the coordination of certain CSC archetypes: while competition is always detrimental, local collaboration is effective for CSCs with closed loop structures, and global collaboration is instead required in presence of open and hybrid loop structures.

Exploring interventions for improving rural digital governance performance: A simulation study of the data-driven institutional pressure transmission mechanism

Considering the technological and institutional nature, along with the inherent complexity, of the rural digital governance context, a data-driven institutional pressure transmission (D-IPT) mechanism is developed in this study. This mechanism aims to facilitate effective regulation of villagers' behaviours, thereby improving rural digital governance performance. Firstly, we proposed a conceptual model based on complex adaptive systems theory and institutional theory to demonstrate how this mechanism can ensure an improvement of the emergent rural digital governance performance. Subsequently, we translated the conceptual model into a computational representation, thereby constructing a theory-informed simulation model. A behavioural dataset consists of 1,255,206 rural households from 119 villages over a span of 18 months was used to instantiate and validate the simulation model based on a specific scenario. Then, we designed five simulation experiments to investigate interventions aimed at harnessing the D-IPT mechanism more effectively to improve the rural digital governance performance. The results show that interventions targeting interaction efficiency, interaction frequency, and institutional environment configuration significantly affect the role of the D-IPT mechanism in enhancing rural governance performance. Finally, we discussed the theoretical and practical implications of the D-IPT mechanism.

Internet of Things (IoT) for Environmental Monitoring

Purpose: The general objective of this study was to explore the Internet of Things for environmental monitoring. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the Internet of Things for environmental monitoring. Preliminary empirical review revealed that IoT technologies have significantly enhanced environmental management practices by revolutionizing data collection and analysis across various ecosystems. By integrating IoT sensors with existing monitoring frameworks, real-time data on air and water quality, agriculture, wildlife habitats, and urban green spaces was efficiently gathered. This data facilitated proactive decision-making, early detection of environmental risks, and evidence-based policy formulation to address climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management challenges. Despite challenges like data security and interoperability, collaborative efforts among stakeholders paved the way for more effective environmental monitoring and sustainable development initiatives globally. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Complex Adaptive Systems Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory and Resource Dependence Theory may be used to anchor future studies on the Internet of Things technology. The study provided several recommendations that contributed significantly to theory, practice, and policy in environmental management. The study emphasized interdisciplinary approaches to enhance theoretical frameworks, advocating for advanced models and algorithms integrating IoT with environmental science and data analytics. In practice, it recommended widespread adoption of IoT-enabled sensor networks with enhanced capabilities for precise and reliable data collection. Policy-wise, the study called for regulatory frameworks supporting IoT integration, data standards, and international cooperation to address global environmental challenges collaboratively. Capacity building and continuous research and development were also highlighted to optimize IoT technologies for sustainable environmental monitoring and management globally.

Antecedents of sustainable agricultural supply chain financing for achieving food security in resource‐constrained developing economies: A complex adaptive systems theory perspective

Antecedents of sustainable agricultural supply chain financing for achieving food security in resource‐constrained developing economies: A complex adaptive systems theory perspective

Youth and climate crisis: participation and learning in complex, adaptive systems

AbstractThe Friday for Future school strikes have vividly demonstrated young people’s concern for the rapidly deteriorating life and survival chances of future generations of human and nonhuman beings. The young people’s ambivalence between despair and hope, feelings of powerlessness and empowerment challenge us to recognise the complexity and dynamic not only of ecosystems but of socio-ecological systems and to question the mechanistic and linear thinking often prevalent in youth research and education science. This thinkbite invites readers to consider young people’s experiences with the climate crisis and (climate change) education through the perspective of Complex Adaptive System Theory to open up learning space for more wholesome and creative responses to the challenge.

A fRAmework of the DetermInants of Arts aNd Cultural Engagement (RADIANCE): integrated insights from ecological, behavioural and complex adaptive systems theories.

Arts and cultural engagement (ACEng) is ubiquitous across every human culture since palaeolithic times, but in contemporary society, ACEng is unevenly distributed, demographically, socio-economically, geographically and politically. But what are the "determinants" of ACEng (i.e., the facilitators or barriers to people's engagement) and how can they be optimised? Despite a large body of theory and evidence on individual determinants, this work has largely occurred in disciplinary silos, which has led variously to contrasting discourses and approaches, criticism, and inconsistent findings. What we lack is a rigorous comprehensive understanding of these determinants (both those already theorised and those that have been little recognised as determinants to date) that goes beyond descriptively showing inequalities, instead explaining why these inequalities exist and how they can be overcome. This paper explores the currently recognised determinants of ACEng, and existing theoretical approaches to these determinants. Drawing on the theoretical bases of ecological systems theory, ecosocial theory and complex adaptive systems science, we conducted a review and iterative theorising process. We propose a new theoretical framework of the determinants of arts and cultural engagement (RADIANCE) developed through cross-disciplinary literature reviewing, domain mapping, and consensus building. Overall, we identified 35 different factors that can act as determinants of ACEng across micro, meso, exo, macro and chrono levels. We broadly categorised these as social (i.e. a primary feature being the interaction of people), tangible (i.e. a primary feature involving physical assets or resources or the production of physical assets), and intangible (i.e. constructs that do not have a primary physical basis but instead have a virtual or imaginary basis). The relevance and implications of this framework for broader research, policy, and practice and case studies of it in use are presented.

Knowledge Management and Capability Theory in Structured Products: Perspectives From Industry Professionals

The structured products industry has lagged development of other areas of financialization. But that is changing quickly. This paper investigates the forces driving this industry’s recent and rapid growth using interviews with industry professionals which we analyze through the lens of intelligent complex adaptive systems theory and capability theory. We unpack the relationship between retail investors and issuers of structured products as well as the fintech-enabled knowledge management structure these firms have developed to exploit retail opportunities. We find that the lag in development has been due to the necessity of lower costs and the ability to create individualized structured products. The firms that are succeeding in this industry have identifiable sources of competitive advantage that make them more likely to achieve and sustain viability above mere survival than their rivals, what we call capability. From this, we extract generalizable principles for all knowledge management professionals.

How can firms implement smart manufacturing through supply chain collaboration? A multiple-case study from China

The complex system characteristics of Smart manufacturing (SM) require firms collaborating with supply chain members to implement SM transformation. However, the motives, methods, and influencing factors of such collaboration remain unclear. Addressing this gap, we conduct a multi-case study of four manufacturing firms and obtain three findings based on complex adaptive system theory. First, the motives of supply chain collaboration include the adaptation to the environment of high customisation, technical complexity, policy, and horizontal competition. Second, firms collaborate with supply chain members in terms of equipment customisation and information interconnection, to establish the data and equipment foundation of SM. This process is affected by the scale and volume of invested resources. Based on these, firms further build collaborative platforms to realise the integrated management of all supply chain links and improve the SM capability through the iteration of solutions, which are affected by the degree of security in data sharing. Third, supply chain collaboration improves the quality and satisfaction, reduces the cost, and shortens the cycle of SM implementation. This study not only addresses whether and how supply chain collaboration influences SM implementation, but also provides guidance to help companies implement SM through a gradual multi-stage collaboration in supply chain.

Human-land relationship in the construction of historical settlements based on Complex Adaptive System (CAS) theory: evidence from Shawan in Guangfu region, China

The relationship between humans and land environment within historical settlements reflects the intricate interplay between human societies, their construction activities, and the specific geographical contexts. Inadequate research into this relationship hinders a comprehensive understanding of the social spatial intricacies inherent in historical settlements. This paper adopts the theoretical framework of complex adaptive system and takes Shawan Ancient Town in Guangfu area of China as an example. Under the geographical background of sustainable land growth in the coastal zone, this study analyzed the subtle changes in the relationship between people and land during the historical construction, and the key findings of the investigation are threefold: (1) Land resources play a central role in the construction of human-land relationships in historical settlements. The geographical environment and social institutions serve as configuring factors in the formation and evolution of human-land relationships. These factors collectively determine the formation and evolution of human-land relationships. (2) Social space emerges as a pivotal manifestation of the human–environment relationship in historical settlements, transcending mere physical dimensions. Consequently, a holistic study of this relationship necessitates a comprehensive exploration not only of spatial configurations but also of the intricate interconnections among social bonds, structural formations, societal order, and settlement spatiality. (3) Drawing on the framework of complex adaptive systems theory, the study disentangles intricate elements within the human-land relationship of historical settlements. It distills and examines the manifestations of four intricate adaptive capacities—namely aggregation, non-linearity, flow, and diversity—alongside the mechanisms of tags, internal models, and fundamental building blocks. It is believed that the study of historical settlements in coastal areas needs to grasp the invariable social-spatial objects such as geographical environment, land form, local beliefs. Take it as a clue to sort out how other elements of change have iterated and transformed in the process of historical evolution, such as the rise and fall of families, land ownership changes and social class evolution. This paper explores the value connotation of historical settlements from the perspective of dialectic thinking of change and invariance with CAS theory, which has theoretical significance for protection of settlement's human-land relationship from the perspective of "social-spatial".

A Study on the Chinese-English Translation of Shaanxi Tourism Culture Based on the Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems

A Study on the Chinese-English Translation of Shaanxi Tourism Culture Based on the Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems

Empirical and simulated investigation of the solid waste reverse supply chain: A complex adaptive system perspective

Solid waste is increasing rapidly worldwide. In this study, the solid waste (household waste, construction and demolition waste and industrial waste) management systems are treated as reverse supply chain to analyze the critical operational issues based on complex adaptive system theory. At the single-layer, the complexity of the various nodes at a layer arises from rational decision-making and behavioral heterogeneity. The solid waste generation layer is employed as an example to investigate the complexity of node behavioral decisions. Regression analysis results reveal that both endogenous (Attitude, Subjective norm, and Perceived behavioral control) and exogenous factors (Economic incentive, Government supervision, Technical support) positively influence sorting behavior. The effect of Economic incentive (β=0.327P<0.001) and Attitude (β=0.249P<0.001) on sorting behavior are the largest. In the multi-layer system, different layers communicate with each other through the material and financial flows and have cross-layer impacts. An agent-based model is developed to investigate the multi-layer feedforward influence mechanism of changes in key layers (e.g., sorting rate, disposal rate) and the material and financial flows adaptive adjustment direction of the solid waste reverse supply chain. High rate of participation and accuracy of source sorting can shorten material flow paths and reduce storage and transportation costs. The increase in disposal rate encourages the transition of solid waste from backfill to resource utilization. This study provides a practice reference for solid waste reverse supply chain and related enterprises managers.

The Analysis of Time Management and Students’ Self-efficacy of Blended Learning: A Case Study of College English Course in the University of Science and Technology Liaoning

Background and Aim: This study delves into the realm of time management training within an English blended learning course, focusing on its influence on student self-efficacy and its subsequent effects on learning outcomes and perceptions. Anchored in the theories of Complex Adaptive Blended Learning Systems (CABLS), Goal Setting, and Self-efficacy, the research aims to uncover the combined impact of time management and self-efficacy enhancement on students' competence, and overall learning experiences. The objective is to assess how structured time management training, when integrated with blended learning strategies, can improve students’ self-efficacy. Materials and Methods: Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study utilizes quantitative tools such as independent samples t-tests and multilinear regression analyses to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness in altering student’ self-efficacy (SE) and other factors like engagement (EN), autonomous learning (AL), teachers’ support (TS), social influence (SI), intention to use (IU) and self-efficacy (SE) levels. The intervention includes time management training facilitated through the Xuexitong Platform, aiming to leverage the advantages of blended learning. This methodological framework allows for a comprehensive analysis of the training's impact, providing a robust evaluation of changes in student engagement, autonomous learning, teachers’ support, social influence, and self-efficacy. Results: The quantitative results revealed significant differences between the control and experimental groups in engagement (EN), autonomous learning (AL), teacher support (TS), social influence (SI), and self-efficacy (SE) except the factor intention to use (IU). In multilinear regression, engagement (EN), social influence (SI), and intention to use (IU) positively predicted higher self-efficacy, while autonomous learning (AL) had a minor negative effect. Teachers’ support (TS) lacked a statistically significant association with self-efficacy. The qualitative data supported and supplemented the findings, highlighting the above 6 factors’ improvement with high frequency in the related codings, and high occurrence of codings like improved in learning, enriching, interesting, growth, and motivation also showed the deep and multidimensional analysis of the findings, and managing time and goals effectively cultivated independence and responsibility. Overall, the qualitative insights provided nuanced, experiential perspectives complementing the quantitative model connecting factors like engagement, autonomous learning, teachers’ support, social influence, intention to use, and self-efficacy. Conclusion: This research demonstrates the pivotal role of structured time management training in enhancing educational outcomes within blended learning environments. By demonstrating the benefits of integrating time management training, the study contributes novel insights into improving students’ development. The findings advocate for the development of more effective educational strategies and instructional designs, emphasizing the complex interplay between various factors and their impact on self-efficacy, especially AI integrated into blended learning. The study paves the way for further investigations into the integration of time management training and other self-efficacy enhancement techniques in blended learning environments. In this way, it encourages researchers to explore the potential synergies between time management, goal setting, and self-efficacy enhancement strategies in various educational contexts. Moreover, the findings can inform the development of more effective educational strategies and instructional designs, leading to improved pedagogical practices and student learning experiences in the long run.

A complex-systems view on military decision making

ABSTRACT Military decision-making institutions are sociotechnical systems. They feature interactions among people applying technologies to enact roles within mission-oriented collectives. As sociotechnical systems, military institutions can be examined through the lens of complex adaptive systems (CAS) theory. This discussion applies the CAS perspective to reveal implications of integrating newer artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into military decision-making institutions. I begin by arguing that military adoption of AI is well-incentivised by the current defence landscape. Given these incentives, it would be useful to try to understand the likely effects of AI integration into military decision-making. Direct examinations of the new affordances and risks of new AI models is a natural mode of analysis for this. I discuss some low-hanging fruit in this tradition. However, I also maintain that such examinations can miss systemic impacts of AI reliance in decision-making workflows. By taking a complex systems view of AI integration, it is possible to glean non-intuitive insights, including, for example, that common policy concerns like preventing human deskilling or requiring algorithmic transparency may be overblown or counterproductive.

What about adaptiveness? The case of organisational resilience and cognition

This paper makes the very simple, perhaps straightforward point that adaptiveness cannot be taken for granted when analysing a complex system. The paradigm of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) theory makes it clear that a key feature of complex systems is the ability to adapt to changes in their environment. This is, indeed, relevant to many systems (e.g., living and social systems) since change is embedded in the way in which systems evolve over time. At the same time, adaptiveness is a strong assumption to make, since it prioritises change over stability and it can be a straight jacket, especially when it comes to studying complexity in the context of human social organising. By using a Case Study, this paper highlights the limits of a focus on adaptiveness and pushes for a more “neutral” perspective that allows researchers to appreciate a wider set of mechanisms, norms, and behaviours pertaining to complex social systems.

Complex Adaptive System Theory, Agent-Based Modeling, and Simulation in Dominant Technology Formation

Complex Adaptive System Theory, Agent-Based Modeling, and Simulation in Dominant Technology Formation