International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

The progressive unfolding of a system's structures and functions until it reaches its mature state.

Development is one of the most confusing and abused term in common uses. It is quite generally understood as meaning an increase of some quantitative factor. However, it is also used in a qualitative meaning: the internal differentiation of structures and functions in a system. Even in this case, it can be generally measured in terms of variety.

According to M. BUNGE, and from a biological viewpoint, "the development process of an organism has three main strands…

"1. Growth, or multiplication of cells of certain kinds (at uneven rates for different subsystems…)

"2. Morphogenesis, or formation of new subsystems

"3. Differentiation, or specialization of cells

"All three aspects of development proceed under a triple control: enzymatic, genetic and environmental" (1979, p.95).

Genetic would be a kind of master-plan originated in inherited characteristics. Enzymatic would be a global internally harmonizing regulation. And environmental would represent the external varying constraints.

This model, as a whole, could probably be translated to organizations and sociosystems in general.

From a thermodynamic viewpoint, development is either related to the growth of a given system, or to its eventual transformation through dissipative structuration.

In the first case, only a moderate growth of a system well defined by its organizational closure is possible until the system reaches its level of dynamic stability, as defined by the minimal internal entropy production compatible with its maintenance necessities.

In the second case, the system is forced out of its dynamic stability limits by growing energy inputs, that must be dissipated, but may produce growing internal structuration and increase the level of internal entropy production. Eventually, the nature of the system may be radically modified through emergent complexification.

However, even in such a case the new system, after the emergence transition, needs stabilize itself, i.e. find its proper level of dynamic stability.

A system that should not be able to limit its growth, i.e. that would become over-developed, would be in great danger to destroy itself due to the exhaustion of its environmental sources and/or overload of its environmental sinks.