STABILITY AND RESILIENCE
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3143 ▶ |
| Object type | General information |
A very high stability is advantageous for a system only if its environmental conditions themselves are very stable, since in this case, it will likely be able to maintain its processes within their limits.
However, when it may have to confront strong, ample and frequent disturbances, resilience is a great vantage. In such case, by admitting the risks and costs of crossing thresholds into other domains of attraction, the system may significantly enhances its survival potential, even in quite unfavorable conditions. As stated by L. SLOBODKIN: “… evolution is like a game, but a distinctive one in which the only payoff is to stay in the game” (1964).
These trade-offs between stability and resilience are of universal interest for organisms, species and human organizations.