Creativity in a sponge?

[Roger Key <roger.key@onet.co.uk@pop3.onet.co.uk>]

Hi All.

(Models all)

Creativity and innovation only occurs at the edges.  (Origin I do not know)

This seems to be right because there is more stability in the middle, 
more likely to be a state of homeostasis or balance.

If we imagine the system to be a solid body then what is the best 
shape?  We need to maximise surface area to volume.

The spherical organisation will be the most stable but least 
creative.  Minimum surface to volume.  Stability as delivered by 
minimising variation?  I feel that this is the most apt model for the 
system though - just feels right.

Large organisations will be more stable than small because they will 
be a larger body of stability - even though the surface area to 
volume ratio will be the same, if they are the same shape. - Compare 
the energy requirements (stability?) of a mouse and a whale.

Convolutions and folds will increase the surface area whilst not 
increasing the volume.  This will be more difficult to manage as 
there will be more reactivity in the body, some of this will be 
creativity.

Smaller organisations will be better at this than large ones as the 
linear distances will be smaller for maintaining the control 
(needed?) in near chaos.

Now from observation, folk lore etc this fits with what we see in the 
marketplace.  Small businesses are more creative but less stable than 
big.  Big tend not to go bust as often as small but are lacking in 
creativity.  Microsoft may be a good example.  When they were in a 
garden shed they led the way and probably did not go bust more by 
luck than judgement, now they seem to struggle to be able to keep the 
next generation in view, but are stable.  Apple lurch from near 
crisis to near crisis but appear to be more innovative, but it is 
still in the really small businesses that real innovation in 
computing is happening (Linux?)

However what body has maximum area to volume?  A sphere has minimum, 
fuzzy bodies - like a koosh ball have really high area to volume, but 
how about a Menger Sponge?  That has infinite surface area and zero 
volume, yet has a clear solid looking structure.

So if big is more stable than little. Little is more innovative than 
big.  Creativity and innovation occurs at the edges.  Stability 
minimises the edges.  How do we get organisations, society or what 
ever to develop on a model more like a Menger Sponge and less like a 
sphere?


R
-- 

	Roger.

---------------------------------oooOOOooo--------------------------------------Roger 
C. Key 				 mailto:roger.key@onet.co.uk
Prescient - The Whole as One
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