The Big Role of Small Groups: A Research Agenda
2026-04-23
The decision-making role of collegial bodies in politics, business, and civic associations is widely noted. However, extant work is fragmented by discipline and organizational type. In this study, we set forth a unified research agenda. We begin by defining the subject as a body that (a) is small, (b) meets regularly over an extended period, and (c) is tasked with a nontrivial governance role. Next, we offer a preliminary canvass of collegial bodies across the world and through history. We argue that most enduring organizations in the modern era, regardless of their location, size, function, or sector, delegate important decision-making tasks to collegial bodies. Then, we tackle the problem of explanation. We propose a functionalist account in which collegial bodies provide an optimal choice in settings where decision-making tasks are especially complex. We then discuss the special role of collegial bodies in complex decision-making settings such as those associated with governance. After providing methodological guidance for how the subject might be studied, we conclude with reflections on the relevance of collegial bodies to democratic theory.