Phase Transition
A transformation of a system from one state to another, like water freezing into ice. Often occurs abruptly at critical points and can involve dramatic changes in system properties.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 6 chapters:
"Hot cores fund cold peripheries. Cold peripheries absorb competitive pressures. Both optimize independently. Case Study 4: Microsoft's Managed Phase Transition - Controlled Temperature Change Microsoft executed one of the most successful temperature transitions in corporate history - from perpetual license ..."
"As the threshold approached, positive feedback locked in. Late backers crystallized around the forming nucleus of early supporters. At $51,350, the phase transition completed: from 543 independent purchase intentions to one coordinated production commitment. Kickstarter's all-or-nothing model didn't just measure ..."
"...ts where matter changes state, like water at the freezing point where ice and liquid coexist. Starling flocks exist at the behavioral equivalent of a phase transition, poised at the boundary between different movement patterns, maximizing collective responsiveness. Biological advantage of criticality: At criti..."
"...ping points where quantitative changes in system parameters produce qualitative transformations in system-level behavior. This phenomenon, known as a phase transition in physics and complexity science, represents a fundamental feature of emergent properties. Consider the phenomenon of synchronization in firefly po..."
"... 18 months as users below critical threshold produced negative feedback - empty profiles, reduced content, declining utility drove further exits. The phase transition from vibrant network to abandoned platform happened discontinuously. Critical Mass and Tipping Points: Many power law systems exhibit critical ..."
And 1 more chapter...
Biological Context
Ecosystems can undergo phase transitions between alternative stable states—forests becoming grasslands, clear lakes becoming turbid. Neural activity can transition between states. Phase transitions often show early warning signals like increasing variance and slower recovery from perturbations.