The Edge of Chaos: a Simulation of a Kanban System

A widely discussed notion in the field of non-linear theory is that of the Edge of Chaos where systems, and in particular organisations, are presumed to be at their most creative. This paper presents evidence from a simulation model of a Kanban system that improved its performance as the system became less predictable and less stable. The results from spectral analysis indicate that the system moves towards a chaotic regime under certain input conditions while at the same time improving performance on one of the key performance measures of a Kanban system. This paper suggests that movement towards a chaotic regime is accompanied by improvement performance.