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A note on the appearance of wisdom in large bureaucratic organizations
Author(s) -
Deutsch Karl W.,
Madow William G.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 0005-7940
DOI - 10.1002/bs.3830060108
Subject(s) - bureaucracy , politics , psychology , positive economics , epistemology , social psychology , public relations , political science , business , sociology , economics , philosophy , law
Any organization is happy with—and likely to promote—a man who is wise enough to make correct decisions for its successful operation. But in a large bureaucratic organization, may not statistical probability alone result in there being at least one man who makes all the correct decisions but who is no more truly competent than his less successful peers? How do we distinguish the wise from the pseudowise? These intriguing questions and some of their ramifications for political and organizational behavior are here discussed.