A loose coupling perspective on Ancient Egypt economy and society

Abstract

A large body of literature assumes that Ancient Egypt’s economy and society were tightly and hierarchically coupled. However, a detailed understanding of complexity in Ancient Egypt eludes us. Widening the scope of business History towards ancient eras, this article intends to showcase a paradoxical view; using Orton and Weick’s reconceptualization of loose coupling theory, we aim to nuance the traditional view of Ancient Egypt’s economy by providing examples of its looseness. Our study examines detailed accounts of the causes of loose coupling, direct effects and compensations, and the outcomes of loose coupling in Ancient Egypt.