Ant colonies: building complex organizations with minuscule brains and no leaders

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2021

Abstract

Thus far the articles in the series JOD calls the “Organization Zoo” have employed the notion of a “zoo” metaphorically to describe an array of human institutions. Here we take the term literally to consider the design of the most complex organizations in the living world beside those of humans, a favorite of insect zoos around the world: ant colonies. We consider individuality and group identity in the functioning of ant organizations; advantages of a flat organization without hierarchies or leaders; self-organization; direct and indirect communication; job specialization; labor coordination; and the role of errors in innovation. The likely value and limitations of comparing ant and human organizations are briefly examined.

Identifier

85100428844 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Journal of Organization Design

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1007/s41469-021-00093-4

e-ISSN

2245408X

First Page

55

Last Page

74

Issue

1

Volume

10

Grant

D19AP00046

Fund Ref

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

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