Change

Any planned or unplanned alteration of a state, configuration, quantity, etc., in an organism, situation or process. Change may extend over a period of time and it may be a very complex phenomenon. It is a universal characteristic, an invariant, within systems. In its social aspects, distinction may be made between planned change (as a designed, or purposive attempt by an individual, group, or larger social system to influence directly the status of itself, another system, or a situation), and unplanned change. A distinction also may be made between the transmission of culture (evolutionary changes of concern to the historical sciences and anthropology) and the transformation of social patterns. The former is neither planned nor intended, whereas through the latter, individuals, groups, or organizations change themselves or others through directive action or decisions.