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specialist. There may be multiple alternate solutions. Leaders with the
expertise can sense the problem but must analyze in depth, only then
respond.

Complex

A complex context is in constant long and short-term flux. It may
possible to rationalize cause and effect ex-post but rarely ex-ante.
There are few if any standard answers and leaders are faced with
letting events unfold and then applying solutions as opportunities
emerge.

Chaotic

In a chaotic context, there are no right answers; all is turbulence with
no discernible links between cause and effect. This is typically a
context of crisis, where a leader is faced with multiple interacting
problems at the same time. A leader must impose control to quell the
chaos and then pick out the different problems.

Disordered

In a disordered context, a leader is (typically) faced with multiple
interacting problem contexts at the same time. Different perspectives
are possible, factions form arguing for their solution, and the 'noise'
level becomes intolerable. The solution is to identify the
different contexts and work on them separately applying an
appropriate solution.

Above developed from A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making David J.
Snowden & Mary E. Boone

Business Systems Are Embedded in a Context
A business system (e.g., a firm) sits inside a context that is populated
by agents/actors as individuals and other systems (firms,
government). We are concerned with three types of context:

● General Context: This is the largely unbounded world filled
with active players acting in their own interests as they see them
and reacting to local pressures. A business system, such as a
firm, sits inside this broad context and is itself an agent of the
context.

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