Variety Dynamics is concerned with the dynamic distribution of variety in any situation as the fundamental basis for use of power, control and management. This is an especially valuable understanding for managing complex situations. Variety is the number of possible options available to different elements in a situation.
Theory of Variety Dynamics research currently has eleven strands:
- The development and use of Variety Dynamics axioms to manage power and control in a wide variety of contested or complex situations
- Modifying the dynamics of distribution of variety to influence ownership and direction of power and control
- Using the Two-feedback loop limitation axiom to manage human agent behaviours and identify failure areas in decision-making
- The roles of time dynamics in variety dynamics
- Identifying the differing roles of transaction costs in modifying variety distributions to change locus and ownership of power
- Identifying where Variety Dynamics is more effective than conventional force and related approaches to change the locus of power and its ownership
- Identifying the benefits of Variety Dynamics analysis over conventional causal analyses
- Mapping the benefits of the reduced information needs of Variety Dynamics guidance on decision-making compared to conventional causal analyses
- Exploring the benefits and potential of the intrinsic covert nature of Variety Dynamics interventions
- Practical application of Variety Dynamics in improved guidance for addressing hyper-complex wicked problem situations that do not conform to the standard system analysis assumptions
- Development of the new mathematical field of Variety Dynamics, the dynamic V distribution, its dynamics and its mathematical relationship to power and control.