A control system has a master controller having a control program with a primary cause-and-effect matrix defining cause-and-effect relationships between a set of inputs and a set of outputs to control its operation. A number of secondary controllers communicate with the master controller via a network. Each secondary controller has a control program with a secondary cause-and-effect matrix defining cause-and-effect relationships between a set of inputs and a set of outputs to control its operation. Selected inputs/outputs of the cause-and-effect matrices are communicated over the network and linked between the primary and secondary cause-and-effect matrices.