Which of the following statements regarding control systems is not accurate?
A) Requisite variety can be achieved by increasing the amount of variety in the control system.
B) Increasing variety in the control system can be achieved by increasing the number of performance standards and the number of items to be controlled.
C) Requisite variety can be achieved by increasing the amount of variety in the system being controlled.
D) To maintain adequate control in any system, the control system must contain as much variety as the system being controlled.
E) The law of requisite variety suggests that simple control systems may not have sufficient variety to cope with the complex systems they are trying to control.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The law of requisite variety, formulated by W. Ross Ashby, states that only variety can absorb variety. This means that to effectively control a system, the control system must have a level of complexity (variety) at least equal to that of the system being controlled. Statement C is inaccurate because it suggests increasing variety in the system being controlled, which would actually make control more difficult, not easier. The law implies adapting the control system to match the system's complexity, not the other way around.

Which of the Following Statements Regarding Control Systems Is Not