DENSITY (Optimal)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 854 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
K. BOULDING enounces a principle which he calls “of equal advantage” which “…governs the distribution of the ”substance“ of a structure among the various parts of the structure” (l956, p.73).
The advantage obtained by a unit or element in a defined location “is an inverse function of the relative quantity of units in that location — that is, the fewer, the merrier” (Ibid).
In fact optimal density seems to depend on two complementary parameters:
1) Any subsystem or structure needs at least a minimum number of elements to become functional.
2) An excessive number of elements, i.e. overcrowding, produces a slowing down and, in extreme cases, a blocking of the function.
Moreover the density conditions vary according to the different stages of growth of the system. When growth starts, the relation of the system with an environment rich in resources, induces a considerable multiplication of elements and an increasing density of the structure. With time and as the system is nearing its optimal dimensions, this situation tends to reverse.
Excessive density is a condition favorable to overburdening, overcrowding, and overload. Examples are urban traffic congestion, or epidemics leading to population collapses. According to H. ODUM, \term“{diversity} and a check-and-balance system prevent epidemics and maintain stability” (1971, p.80).