In 1739, a mechanical duck amazed people by ingesting grain and – well, pooping. Even today, many executives still believe that complex systems can be machines – maybe not ducks, but how about marketing?

Constant change requires quick response. Marketers have benefitted from agile methods, but most are unaware of emerging organizational innovations available.

Marketing behaves more like stock markets or weather than predictable machines. By working with marketing’s complexity instead of ignoring it, companies will realize more value.

“Emergence is what happens when a multitude of things – neurons, bacteria, people – exhibit properties beyond the ability of any individual.” Knowledge of emergence gives leaders a powerful new tool for change.

What do markets have in common with slime mold, beehives, and traffic? Science calls these complex adaptive systems. They share defining characteristics.