A "system" denotes living organisms and social systems that function as "an integrated whole whose essential properties arise from the relationships between its parts.... 'Systems thinking' includes the understanding of a phenomenon within the context of a larger whole"1
The parts of a system (individuals, teams, departments, etc.) communicate with each other. The system or organism also communicates with it environment.
The health, capacity and effectiveness of a living system depend on the capacity of the communication between the parts and the patterns of interaction in the network.
In today͛s globally interconnected world a "complex system is typically made up of a large number of constituent entities that interact with each other and also with its environment. Complex Adaptive Systems learn from interactions with their environment.2 They adapt, innovate, evolve and grow.