Structural Coherence (C)

1. Canonical Definition

Structural Coherence (C) is the degree to which a system’s roles, pathways, and interactions form an architecture capable of transmitting meaning consistently. Within Meaning System Science, C is the structural variable that determines whether truth fidelity (T) and signal alignment (P) can move through the system without alteration, contradiction, or loss.

2. Featured Lineage: Foundational Thinkers

James March — A Behavioral Theory of the Firm (1963)
Showed that coherent organizational action depends on structural roles, processes, and information flows that reinforce one another. MSS extends this by defining coherence as the architectural condition that enables consistent meaning transmission.

Jay Galbraith — Designing Complex Organizations (1973)
Demonstrated that structures must match the information-processing demands placed on them. MSS builds on this by treating coherence as the degree to which structure supports accurate and reliable meaning conduction.

3. Plainly

Structural Coherence means the system is built in a way that supports clear and consistent movement of information.
Coherent roles, pathways, and workflows prevent distortion.
When structure is fragmented or ambiguous, interpretation becomes inconsistent and drift increases.

4. Scientific Role in Meaning System Science

C represents the architectural dimension of MSS. It determines:

• whether accuracy (T) and alignment (P) can be preserved during transmission,

• how interaction patterns influence interpretation, and

• whether structures support consistent meaning across contexts.

High C enables reliable interpretation; insufficient C limits stability even when T and P are strong.

5. Relationship to the Variables (T, P, C, D, A)

• T — Truth Fidelity: Structure preserves or alters accuracy as information moves.

• P — Signal Alignment: Alignment depends on pathways that transmit signals consistently.

• C — Structural Coherence: Defines the system’s architectural reliability.

• D — Drift: Structural gaps, bottlenecks, or ambiguities introduce contradiction and raise the drift rate.

• A — Affective Regulation: Regulation decreases when structural ambiguity creates overload or unclear interaction patterns.

6. Relationship to the First Law of Moral Proportion

L = (T × P × C) / D

C is one of the system’s stabilizing forces.
Low C reduces legitimacy (L) even when T and P are strong, because structural inconsistency increases the rate of contradiction and drift.

7. Application in Transformation Science

Transformation Science uses C to analyze:

• when structures cannot support required interpretive load,

• how structural ambiguity increases drift (D),

• when reorganization is required to restore proportional stability, and

• how system behavior shifts when architectural constraints change.

C is a major predictor of emerging instability.

8. Application in Transformation Management

Practitioners strengthen C by:

• clarifying roles and accountabilities,

• designing workflows and decision pathways,

• aligning governance structures with information demands, and

• building operating models that support consistent interpretation.

Improving C is one of the most effective levers for reducing drift and stabilizing meaning during transformation.

9. Example Failure Modes

• Roles or pathways contradict or overlap, lowering C.

• Information moves through inconsistent structural sequences, increasing D.

• Workflows exceed structural capacity, producing non-coherent interpretation.

• Pathways apply rules inconsistently across contexts, reducing interpretive reliability.

10. Canonical Cross-References

Meaning System Science • Physics of Becoming • First Law of Moral Proportion • Truth Fidelity (T) • Signal Alignment (P) • Drift (D) • Affective Regulation (A) • Systems Theory • 3E Standard™ • LDP-1.0 • Transformation Management