Ashby’s Law of Requisite Variety

Ashby’s law of requisite variety states that for a system to effectively manage its environment and maintain stability, it must have a range of responses that matches the complexity of the challenges it faces. In simpler terms, a system (like a business or organization) needs enough variety in its strategies and actions to cope with the various uncertainties and changes around it. If the responses are too limited, the system will struggle to adapt and could fail. Essentially, greater complexity in the environment requires greater complexity in responses for effective control and survival.