I was talking to a friend about an upcoming paper that digs into optimal organizations by experimenting with agent swarms.
If you have an even number of agents, the swarm will sometimes get locked in a tie and plateau.
Organizations with an odd number of agents keep getting better.
If you have enough runs, then a tie breaker will give a subtle bend towards the right direction.
An asymmetry that prevents stasis.
The "boards should have an odd number of directors" rule of thumb is a long established one.
How many other hard-won rules of thumb about organizations are actually just fundamental laws of the universe?
That is, they don't arise due to humananities' foibles but just structurally and inescapably.
For example, coordination costs go up exponentially for any coordinating entities, human or not.