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Watercooler chat, organizational structure and corporate culture

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  • Newton, Jonathan
  • Wait, Andrew
  • Angus, Simon D.

Abstract

Modeling firms as networks of employees, occasional collaborative decision making around the office watercooler changes long run employee behavior (corporate culture). The culture that emerges in a given team of employees depends on team size and on how the team is connected to the wider firm. The implications of the model for organizational structure are explored and related to trends in the design of hierarchies.

Suggested Citation

  • Newton, Jonathan & Wait, Andrew & Angus, Simon D., 2019. "Watercooler chat, organizational structure and corporate culture," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 354-365.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:118:y:2019:i:c:p:354-365
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2019.09.004
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    9. Yasar, Alperen, 2023. "Power struggles and gender discrimination in the workplace," SocArXiv t4g83, Center for Open Science.
    10. Dietrichson, Jens & Gudmundsson, Jens & Jochem, Torsten, 2022. "Why don’t we talk about it? Communication and coordination in teams," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 257-278.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Collaboration; Teams; Hierarchies; Delayering; Networks; Evolution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C71 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Cooperative Games
    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • C73 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Stochastic and Dynamic Games; Evolutionary Games
    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights

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