The Org

How the Office Really Works

Raymond Fisman, Tim Sullivan

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton, 2013, 308 pages

ISBN: 978-1-848-54994-4

Keywords: Organizational Development

Last modified: Aug. 15, 2015, 2:40 a.m.

Why do members of Al-Qaeda have to submit expense reports?

How do you create incentives for policemen, or priests?

What are managers good for?

The Org is unique. Based on cutting-edge research from the frontiers of organizational economics, it tells youi how companies and organizations really work. As such it is required reading for anyone who wants to stay sane in the workplace, or to work their way up the org.

The Org is packed with fascinating and surprising stories from organizations as diverse as McDonald's, the island nation of Samoa, Google, Al-Qaeda, the Methodist Church and the Baltimore Police Department. After reading this book, you will never look at the job description or an org chart in the same way again.

  • Introduction: A Machine for Getting Stuff Done
  1. The Outsider
  2. Designing the Job
  3. Putting Together the Organizational Puzzle
  4. In Praise of Squelching Innovation
  5. What Management Is Good For
  6. The View from the Corner Office
  7. The Economics of Org Culture
  8. Disaster and Change
  • Conclusion: The Future Org