Entropy of teamwork: Multitasking, Configuration, Effectiveness & Efficiency

Abstract: Traditional social models overlook interdependence, the defining characteristic of social behavior, in favor of the least entropy production (LEP) from cooperation (e.g., [2] [3] [4]). Teams organized like distributed processing [5] over-look the benefits from the interdependence of multitasking [11]). In our model, the entropy of interdependence reduces degrees of freedom like quantum entanglement, allowing maximum entropy production (MEP) to solve problems. Evolution in Nature (viz., ) demonstrates MEP [6] from intelligent choices [7]. Exploiting interdependence improves team intelligence [8]; forced cooperation dis-organizes it; e.g., China is reducing its social intelligence [9]. In our model, competition self-organizes those willing to sort through the noise for the choices that improve social welfare. Social systems organized around competition (checks and balances) better control a society than authoritarian regimes (e.g., on China’s inability, see [12]). Authoritarians are inefficient in sizing teams to solve problems; e.g., Sinopec oil company uses about 548 thousand employees to produce about 4.4 million barrels of oil per day whereas Exxon uses about 82 thousand employees to produce about 5.3 million barrels of oil per day [10]. Overall, the density of MEP directed at solving problems in a society able to freely self-organize its labor and capital is denser.

Keywords: interdependence; maximum entropy production; teams; multitasking;