This comprehensive Handbook is aimed at both academic researchers and practitioners in the field of complexity science. The book?s 26 chapters, specially written by leading experts, provide in-depth coverage of research methods based on the sciences of complexity. The research methods presented are illustratively applied to practical cases and are readily accessible to researchers and decision-makers alike. The Handbook'?s wide range of research methods are clearly illustrated with case studies that demonstrate their practical application. They range from the regeneration of communities to musical performance; from complex governance networks to psychotherapy; from gender dynamics to agent-based modelling; and the appropriate response to pandemics. Some unusual research methods ? based on art, psychology and multi-level networks ? are also included. Furthermore, the book incorporates discussions on the philosophical aspect of research methods and explores important theoretical concepts, such as exaptation, emergence, self-organisation and co-evolution. This is an ideal resource for academics and researchers in the field seeking and exploring new research methods. For decision-makers and researchers trying to address complex challenges it will be an essential source of inspiration that will arm them with effective state-of-the-art research methods for the future. Contributors include: P. Allen, P. Andriani, S. Banerjee, Y. Bar-Yam, P. Beautement, C.R. Booth, J. Bromley, H.L. Brown, J. Burton, G. Carignani, B. Castellani, G.C. Crawford, C. Day, C.J. Dister, R. Durie, E.G. Eason, K.M. English, J. Fortune, M. Gabbay, J. Goldstein, J.K. Hazy, K. Hopkinson, N. Hupert, E.S. Ihara, H.J. Jensen, J. Johnson, D.G. Kelty-Stephen, W.G. Kennedy, L. Kuhn, B. Lichtenstein, C. Lundy, B. McKelvey, E. Mitleton-Kelly, S. Mockett, G. Morcoel, S. Mukherjee, S.K. Palit, A. Paraskevas, B. Pourbohloul, R. Rajaram, F.A. Razak, K.A. Richardson, J. Rowan Scott, Y. Shapiro, S. Kim, J. Stead, H. Stuteley, A. Tait, C.J. Tompkins, L. Varga, X. Wan, P.R. Wolenski, M.E. Wolf-Branigin, K. Wyatt

'This book is a major advancement in the area of complexity and corporate governance. By bringing together a range of leading experts in the fields of complexity and corporate governance, this book manages to knowledgeably wed the emerging field of complex systems thinking with the more established area of corporate governance. It brings a range of new and exciting concepts, such as emergence, co-evolution and self-organisation, and integrates them into an overarching and holistic understanding of corporate governance that is a clear benefit to corporate actors and stakeholders. The book is a major resource for both academic and practitioner audiences.' - Robert Geyer, Lancaster University, UK`Corporations are usually perceived through the lens of traditional disciplines as creatures of law or as economic agents. The absence of a single language of accountability has been unsatisfactory to the point of contributing to the seeming endemic failures of corporate governance. Corporate Governance and Complexity Theory is a hugely important step forward in introducing a new way of thinking about the impact of corporate power. Its concluding words tell it all. ''The holistic approach adopted by complexity theory consists of looking at all related entities, or in this case all corporate governance actors, that interact and influence each other, within the entire corporate governance environment or corporate governance social ecosystem''. The theory also offers a new interpretation of corporate governance, and thus provides some novel insights. The book is well written, helpfully organized and jargon free. It is exciting in concept and execution. You will enjoy it.' - Robert Monks, Lens Governance Advisors< This multidisciplinary book takes an innovative approach to corporate governance by linking governance and complexity theory. It provides important new insights into why governance systems are failing and what may be done to improve this situation. A key issue that scholars, practitioners and regulators of corporate governance face is the complexity of the relationships between a company and its shareholders, as well as its stakeholders and gatekeepers. The authors, who are corporate governance specialists from a variety of disciplines including law, finance and economics, propose an innovative approach and key insights on corporate governance. In the process they also address some significant gaps in the literature and deal with methodological limitations. This new approach uses concepts from complexity theory to deal with the frequently complex relationships between the corporation and its stakeholders and gatekeepers. The holistic approach to the study of corporate governance will prove invaluable to academics and postgraduate students in accounting, economics, finance, law or complexity theory with an interest in corporate governance. This book will be also prove to be an essential resource for regulators and practitioners interested in corporate governance issues.

In January 1995 the first Complexity Seminar was held at the London School of Economics, in the UK. This was quite a momentous occasion as it proved to be the turning point for the series of seminars, which had started in December 1992. That seminar and those that followed it, had a profound effect on the research interests of Eve Mitleton-Kelly, the initiator and organiser of the series and editor of this volume, and thus laid the foundation for what became the LSE Complexity Research Programme, which proceeded to win several research awards for collaborative projects with companies. But the series also provided the material for this book. Earlier versions of the papers selected for this volume were first given at the LSE Complexity Seminar series.
The seminar series, focussed primarily on the application of the theories of complexity to organisations - an area of study which was quite new to UK businesses and academics; it slowly helped to disseminate these ideas and today, there is a proliferation of networks and seminar series throughout the UK on complexity; a strong and active academic community studying complexity in different disciplines and a growing number of organisations, experimenting with these revolutionary ideas and putting them into practice.
The 14 international authors in this volume reflect this interest in 10 chapters that range from the very practical application of the theory to more philosophical reflections on its nature and applicability. They do not all agree with each other, but since diversity and variety is at the heart of complexity they each provide a strand of an intertwined whole, which will enrich and deepen our understanding. In an environmentof increasing uncertainty and ambiguity it is necessary to learn how to hold, in tension, disparate or even contradictory views, without undue stress. The world is not a simple dyadic black or white entity, but a rich multi-coloured and many-hued ensemble, each strand or perspective contributing to an intricate and inter-related n-dimensional whole.