MULTIFOCALITY
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2223 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
An organizational way “…characterized by numerous centers or foci of likely interactions, spread through an area, each focus being as far as possible self-sufficient” (S. BOYDEN, 1978 — quoted by W.D. GROSSMANN and K.E.F. WATT, 1992, p.8).
These authors state: “In a multifocal system, the breakdown of an element or of a whole focal point will not really affect the rest of the system because of the self-sufficiency of the subsystems” (p.9).
This may be over-optimistic, since the breakdown may affect a really critical subsystem (for instance the one securing energy inputs), but nevertheless it is generally a good bet. Multifocal systems however still need global coherence, monitoring and regulation.
Multifocality is closely related to heterogeneity.