The Minimalist Organization as a Postbureaucratic Form

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Abstract
This article explores the concept of the minimalist organization as the antithesis of the bureaucratic form. We argue that one inherent shortcoming of bureaucracy is the cost of hierarchical control; as a structure of control, it employs resources to support its compliance machinery, resources that could be used to create value. By contrast, we advance the concept of the minimalist organization as a form that economizes on compliance structures. We define the minimalist form in terms of its structural slightness and, through the example of Alcoholics Anonymous, identify its key dimensions: porous membership boundaries, lean 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.

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