THE MINIMALIST ORGANIZATION AS A POSTBUREAUCRATIC FORM - THE EXAMPLE OF ALCOHOLICS-ANONYMOUS

This article explores the concept of the minimalist organization as th e antithesis of the bureaucratic form. We argue that one inherent shor tcoming of bureaucracy is the cost of hierarchical control; as a struc ture of control, it employs resources to support its compliance machin ery, resources that could be used to create value. By contrast, we adv ance the concept of the minimalist organization as a form that economi zes on compliance structures. We define the minimalist form in terms o f its structural slightness and, through the example of Alcoholics Ano nymous, identify its key dimensions: porous membership boundaries, lea n administrative structure, nonhierarchical authority, and federalist governance. We use the example of Alcoholics Anonymous to explore the boundary conditions of the minimalist form. We conclude by considering its implications for our understanding of organizations in general.