Help me find a book on organizational psychology from an anthropological perspective

March 22, 2008 11:31 AM

Years ago I read a book on organizational psychology written by an anthropologist. His thesis IIRC was that the ideal forms of human organization can be seen in the ways hunter-gatherer societies organized, and that nearly all modern organizations are diametrically opposed to that. Can anyone help me find this book?

I encountered this book doing research for a (never completed) dissertation. Because it wasn't really all that relevant to my research, I didn't keep any bibliographic info on it, and I haven't been able to find it since. But the thoughts behind it keep cropping up, and I would really like to read it again.

The author claimed that hunter-gatherer societies organize in groups of no more than about 15 or so, and that leaders emerge spontaneously from these groups. Control isn't imposed from "outside" or "above"; instead, in the best case, coordinated behavior is an emergent property of the group. I may well be imposing my own thoughts on what the author said, since it's been so long, but I think that's reasonably accurate.

Another detail I remember is that supposedly some businessman in Brazil reorganized his company along the lines that this author suggested, turning it around and changing it from a money loser to a substantial success.

Any help identifying this book would be much appreciated! And if you know of any other books along similar lines, I would love to know about those as well.

posted by semblance to society & culture (7 comments total)

Apologies for bringing up a pop-science book (if it does fall under that), but The Tipping Point describes similar research, the number being 150, not 15, and refers to research done by Robin Dunbar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Dunbar). Can't help with a book name, but maybe that'll get you in the right direction?
posted by jma at 11:37 AM on March 22

This doesn't directly answer your question, but this is a book written by that Brazilian businessman.
posted by mpls2 at 11:42 AM on March 22

Huh. I don't know a specific book, but the comments/discussion linked at the end of this recent Paul Graham essay about exactly this idea might provide a few links.
posted by limeonaire at 12:02 PM on March 22

Was it Staying Human in the Organization?
posted by iconomy at 12:30 PM on March 22

Oh....via mpls2's link, the book written by the Brazilian references a book called Corporation Man by Antony Jay which describes what you mentioned about the groups of 15.
posted by iconomy at 12:36 PM on March 22

Robin Dunbar did quite a bit of work on the maximum number of close relationships, leading to the Dunbar Number. Gladwell does talk about this in The Tipping Point.

I think Ricardo Semler is the CEO you're thinking of. The company is Semco SA, and the book he wrote about it is The Seven Day Weekend. Here's a related S&B article on him.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 12:41 PM on March 22

Staying Human in the Organization! That's the one - thank you!

Bloody expensive, though. At least now I can find it in the library.

Thanks to all for the other references, too.
posted by semblance at 2:13 PM on March 22