"In this provocative book, organizational expert Brook Manville and Princeton classics professor Josiah Ober argue that ancient Athenian democracy provides an ingenious solution to the paradox facing every modern leader: how to ratchet up overall performance while nurturing the individuals whose knowledge and expertise fuel the firm.".

"Manville and Ober show that the Athenian approach to organizing people - as self-governing, knowledge-sharing citizens - was driven by three core elements: democratic values, governance structures, and participatory practices. This dynamic system served as the architecture that supported Athens' two-hundred-year reign of innovation and excellence - and the authors say it also holds the key to building a long-lasting, modern-day "company of citizens.""--BOOK JACKET.