countrycousin: Lego me (Default)
countrycousin ([personal profile] countrycousin) wrote2008-05-19 05:28 pm

On Committee Size

From Science News_ comes an article that tries to relate a country's development efficiency to the size of its cabinet, and gives an explanation using network theory and a particular model for arriving at a decision.  I suspect there are several devils in the details of how well their model corresponds to actual working committees, and a cabinet does not correspond to my concept of a committee anyway, given that the usual organization of a cabinet is to give each member a particular responsibility.

Nonetheless, the article is interesting.  For their model, it turns out that 10 or under is workable - except 8.  Apparently, one should not create a committee of 8 members.

Legislatures seem to run much larger.  Maybe this is why they are primarily good for burning up money and accomplishing little.