Organization happens in the act of working with others to accomplish a desired future state. It can happen through intentionally designed activity, spontaneous improvisation, or some combination of the two, but it always requires coordinated effort. This Very Short Introduction provides a lively and thought provoking introduction to the topic. Written by one of the leading scholars in the area of organization theory Demonstrates the origins of organization with examples of prehistoric humans organizing to hunt food, find shelter, and to protect and raise children, thereby forming the first organizations through families and tribes Uses examples from a variety of different contexts, from prehistory and everyday life to the animal kingdom and nature as well as in business and government