evolution

In most abstract and simple terms, evolution is the change of >knowledge in a >system. This corresponds to the original biological use of the term, where it is specified as change of the knowledge contained in the genetic material.
To elaborate a bit, evolution is the change of a system in time leading to the emergence of >novelty with the simultaneous maintenance of >structure, i.e. of a non-equilibrium state. The accumulation of novelties in time implies an increasing >complexity of systems. For economic systems, the primordial mechanisms of evolution are >creativity, >variation/selection/retention, and >learning.
To understand evolution and to trace evolutionary changes, a basic prerequisite is the >taxonomical method, i.e. the identification of >state spaces and their changes, and of structures in diachronic and synchronic dimensions. In economics, such taxonomies include, for example, types of organizations, institutions of property, basic technologies etc.

Basic References
There is much on evolution in the web......
Talk Origins
Evolutionary Theory

Semantic Field
knowledge   variation/selection/retention   novelty
taxonomy