Questioning Corporate Hierarchy

'' Ever since leading management theorist Douglas McGregor contrasted the hierarchical Theory X mindset to the less hierarchical Theory Y, the issue of how optimal hierarchy is to the performance of firms and employees- and under what conditions- has been seminal in the social sciences. It is unfortunate that social scientists have mostly focused on the minutiae of this question- for example, how teams work- rather than on the big question of how necessary hierarchy is for a productive society and economy. This book intelligently reopens this important debate by introducing conceptual rigor to the question and offering the experiences of two real-world executives conducting a blunt survey of important cases. The insights Nobles and Staley share provide rich opportunities for further research. -- Dr. Joseph R. Blasi, J. Robert Beyster Distinguished Professor at the School of Management and Labor Relations, Rutgers University, co-author of The Citizen’s Share: Reducing Inequality in the 21st Century