So if largeness is a problem and smallness is a problem what is the appropriate size [1]? That is, the size where all the elements we want will be optimised.
I intuit that the best guess is an organisation where everyone knows each other and where the leadership group [2] can meet and get to know all staff regularly. In this respect it is also important that the leadership group are open to listening to the staff that they meet as a result of the small size. I would say that in or around 20-24 would be relatively good guess.
What about the size of the problem?
It is logical to conclude that the size of the problem to be solved will determine the size of the organisation to solve it. For example, it will require a much bigger organisation to build a motorway than build a boreen [3]. (Though the creative people necessary to support large engineering projects will often be placed in small autonomous organisations within the larger corporation).
But, as I explained in the previous post, human problems present quite different challenges than engineering problems. Because – unlike large engineering problems, in supporting families in the Focus Group – cultural matching is a vital aspect.
The sense of intimacy that is needed to model, respond quickly, empathise, discover creative solutions, promote an ethos of generosity, and generate a real and genuine sense of belonging so that a distressed person will feel that her pain can be eased would be far more difficult in an organisation with hundreds of employees.
Large organisations waste lots of money that could be used in far more focused and meaningful ways for people in distress.
On paper, rationalisation works. I do not believe that it works, however, in practice, and there are many examples to choose from if we look around us.
In determining how large an organisation should be to solve a very complex social/human problem I would propose that once an organisation gets to be larger than 20-24 or so people it would be more effective to actually establish a sister organisation with the same ethos etc. and divide up the problem than simply keep expanding the original organisation.
Please refer to the Chapter on Training where I discussed scaling up. This is an interesting area to discuss and I invite comments from anyone interested!
[1]. For an interesting discussion on the subject of largeness in organisations, I refer readers to Kirkpatrick Sale’s very interesting book ‘Human Scale’
[2]. The term leadership group is used to describe those in any agency who have positions of decision-making in the areas of ethos, management, finance, programmes, etc.
[3]. A boreen is a term used for a small road or path in Ireland.