Research Article

Infrastructure as a Complex Adaptive System

Table 2

Properties of general systems and complex adaptive systems [10, 12, 16].

General Systems TheoryComplex Adaptive Systems Theory
Key PropertiesKey PropertiesProperty CategoryHierarchical Level

ComplicatedComplexEmergent behaviour and self-organisation System level
Aggregable with functional decompositionEmergent with limited functional decomposition
Centralised controlDistributed control
Determinate and LinearNon-determinate and Non-linearInstability and robustness

StaticPerpetual DynamicsDynamics and evolution Network level
EquilibriumA Far-from-equilibrium State
ClosedOpen
ReversibleIrreversible

Rational, deductive behaviourAdaptive, evolutionary behaviourAdaptiveness Agent level
Simplified assumptions and homogenous agentsDiversity among agents and more realistic assumptionsAgent diversity