Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers) about Complex Adaptive Systems and ImagineWeb. If you have questions not covered below, please feel free to contact us on info@imagine-web.com 

Q: What is Complex Adaptive System (CAS)?

A: CAS is any complex, nonlinear system made of interacting Agents which has the ability to adapt to changing environment.

Q: What are the main characteristics of CAS?

A: Among many characteristics attributed to CAS, we most of all agree with characteristics emphasized by Dee Hock of Chaordic Commons. According Mr. Hock such systems are open, dynamic, multi-centric and self-organizing, self-governing and adaptive, uncentralized or distributed, fractal, constitutional and enabling.
Potential for self-organization in such systems exists in a nonequilibrium environment. CAS evolves by random mutation, self-organization, transformation of their internal models of environment and natural selection. In CAS, semi-autonomous Agents interact according to certain rules of interaction, evolving to maximize some measure like economic or evolutionary fitness. The agents are diverse in both form and capability and they adapt by changing their rules and, hence, behavior, as they gain experience. CAS evolves historically, meaning their past or history, i.e. their experience, is added onto them and determines their future trajectory. Their adaptability can either be increased or decreased by the rules shaping their interaction. Moreover, unanticipated emergent structures can play a determining role in the evolution of such systems, which is why such systems show a great deal of unpredictability. However, it is also the case that a CAS has the potential of a great deal of creativity that was not programmed into them.

Q: Can you give any real-life examples of such Systems?

A: An increasing number of real-world systems are viewed as CAS. Such systems include cells, species, individuals, the economy, firms, societies, nations, and so on.

Q: Who or what can be seen as an “Agent” and “Meta-Agent”? What is “Agent Tag”?

A: Agent is any stand-alone unit/element/entity that functions continuously and autonomously in a particular environment, often inhibited by other Agents. Continuity and autonomy indicates that Agents are able to execute processes or carry out activities in a flexible and intelligent manner that is both adaptive and responsive to changes in the environment without requiring constant guidance, intervention or top-down control from a System Operator/Architect.

Q: What does “Self-Organization” mean?

A: Self-Organization is a bottom-up process, which involves the emergence and maintenance of order or complexity out of a state that is less ordered or complex.

Q: How does CAS apply to business?

A: There is a growing point of view among economist, business academics and consultants that companies, industries, markets and economies in general can be considered as CAS. Understanding of CAS theory, characteristics and governing laws is being applied to business.

Q: What is Imagine?

A: Imagine is a multi-dimensional concept. It could be seen as a Community, a Membership corporation or a CAS.

Q: How does CAS apply to Imagine?

A: From the very beginning Imagine has been based on the concept of CAS. CAS is at the very heart of the ImagineWeb concept. The concept of CAS has been the single main concept that has lead to formation of Imagine.

Q: What are the main characteristics of ImagineWeb?

A:

• ImagineWeb is made of Multiple Agents, our Employees, grouped into ImagineCompanies that play a role of Meta-Agents.
  
  
• Our System is extremely open, meaning that any Person or Institution that meets our basic set of requirements can become a Member of ImagineWeb. Our short development history have proven that with every next Agent or Meta-Agent that joins ImagineWeb, the robustness of the entire System grows in folds.
  
  
• Agents in our System are quite diverse in their education, professional experience or ethnic backgrounds. This diversity provides us with a wide pool of expertise and views that we can use to solve our current tasks.
  
  
• All the Agents within ImagineWeb are Interconnected through various means of communication and constantly interacting. This interaction has been indeed one of the main sources of Creativity and Innovation within our group. It also very often generates results, which none of us could even foresee.
  
  
• There is a great deal of Autonomy in ImagineWeb. Management Teams of ImagineCompanies are running their activities. We also have a very democratic work style and environment. Thus, in essence our Employees are Self-Organized. 
   
• The whole Systems runs off a single Platform – our Imagine brand and company Philosophy, called ImagineConstitution. This Philosophy also plays a role Schemata, defining our Values, Principles and Beliefs as the basic rules how our Agents should Interact within the System and outer World.

Q: How Imagine is different from other organizations?

A:

Other Organizations	Imagine
Closed	Open
Top-down and Centrally Oriented	Multi-Centric and Self-Organizing
Corporate	Constitutional
Centralized	Uncentralized
Departmentalized	Fractal
Controlling	Enabling
Mechanistic	Systemic
Hierarchical	Heterarchial
Independent	Interdependent

Q: Who can join Imagine?

A: Any individual, commercial or non-profit organization that share values and principles of ImagineConstitution and meet basic Membership requirements.

Q: How Imagine would be developed and managed?

A: Every Imagine company would be established as a partnership between some group of Founding Imagine Members and an outside Partner. In every country where Imagine would be present there would be Imagine holding company, which would own equity stakes of Imagine in various Imagine member companies. Management of these stakes would be entrusted to ImagineAssetManagement (IAM), which would also be a partnership with some specialized Asset Management company. IAM would govern equity stakes through participation on the Boards of various member companies.

Imagine would not be an operator and would not get much involved in day-to-day operations of any member company. Imagine would manage these companies as Portfolio Assets.

Although there would be no central authority, Holding Companies and Asset Management Companies would be responsible for coordinating activities of ImagineWeb in particular country, including disputes resolutions.

Q: What are the benefits of joining Imagine?

A:

• Higher Brand Recognition
• Lower risk for every member- Safety Net
• Increase in revenues through cross selling to existing client base
• Larger number of clients through multiple entry points
• Lower overall cost and investment requirements
• Better use of consolidated resources
• Ability to focus on core competence
• Higher flexibility- higher tolerance for mistakes
• Better climate for innovation
• Better information distribution and learning
• More value retained within the system
• Accelerated portfolio growth
• Dynamics of Increasing Returns

Q: How do you ensure the quality of ImagineWeb Members?

A: Just like with most Membership organization, the quality of our Members is ensured through a set of membership requirements, application, due diligence, review and admission process.

Q: According to the theory any such system like ImagineWeb supposed to have some common ground, be it a single Information Standard or a common Technological Platform. What is a common “Platform” in case of Imagine?

A:  Imagine has established a common platform of Branding, Ideology and Company Philosophy together with single Information Standard.