The management of distance in antiquity

Abstract

Hierchical systems help us to economize on a particular scarce organizational resource, namely management capacity — i.e. on skill, knowledge and social competence. Managers perceive geographical distance as a problem since it increases Diversity and Uncertainty in the flow of information. The Roman Empire and the Early Church were two worldwide organizations that adopted fundamentally different strategies towards distance. The Empire tried to extinguish or suppress Diversity and Uncertainty by way of a centralized and repressive bureaucracy, thereby economizing on scarce management capacity. The Early Church increased its management capacity by adopting a decentralized structure and putting very strong ideological stress on unity. It is suggested in this article that bureaucracy is well suited to the control of simple physical actions. Ideology, on the other hand, is better adapted to organizations in which performance depends on the application of management capacities at all organizational levels.