The Organization Man Paradox

Abstract

Herein we examine the paradox faced by an individual after joining a large or ganization.The paradox is related to the phenomenon of the Organization Man, rst identi ed in the middle of the last century and is addressed herein using a large-scale numerical calculation of the network dynamics modeling the or ganization. This network model reduces to a fractal-order Langevin equation model of the dynamics for a single individual embedded in a complex network. An analytic solution for describing the subtle, yet dramatic, in uence of the organization (complex network) on the decision making behavior of an individ ual member of the organization is obtained. Furthermore, this adoption of the organizational behavior by the individual is the result of the way people interact with one another and is not necessarily a consequence of any overt e¤ort on the part of the organization to in uence individual behavior. In fact it is shown that a top-down approach to controlling individual behavior is unstable, whereas a bottom-up approach is resilient.