EMERGENT ORDER IN FIRMS: COMPLEXITY SCIENCE vs. THE ENTANGLEMENT TRAP [Published in Complex Systems and Evolutionary Perspectives of Organizations: Applications of Complexity Theory to Organizations,

Quantum theory concepts of correlated history and decoherence explain the emergence of structure (coarse-graining) out of fine-grained entanglement fields. Entanglement occurs when each quanta is somewhat correlated, over time, with all other quanta. Entanglement ties are proposed as alternatives to sociologists’ weak and strong ties. Entanglement fields provide neutral starting points for efficacious emergence in response to adaptive tension. The adaptive efficacy of emergent structure in firms depends on the purity of the entanglement field(s) existing within them. The joint importance of uncorrupted entanglement and adaptive tension as co-produces of efficacious emergent structure is discussed, as are adaptive tension control parameters and the interaction of Darwinian selection and decoherence as causes of order-creation. Paper concludes by noting difficulties executives face in trying simultaneously to produce adaptively efficacious emergent structure and uncorrupted entanglement pools.