Coalition
A temporary alliance between individuals who cooperate to achieve goals they couldn't accomplish alone. Coalitions form, shift, and dissolve based on changing interests and power dynamics.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 8 chapters:
"...ources, and the most willing to risk themselves for others. They lead not through constant displays of dominance, but through selective intervention, coalition maintenance, and what primatologists call "prosocial dominance" - power exercised for group benefit rather than personal gain. **The data challenges..."
"What makes a pecking order resistant to overthrow? Stability factors in baboon troops (studied over 40 years by Sapolsky): 1. Coalition defense (Most important): - Alpha males with 2+ strong allies: 87% retain rank >4 years - Alpha males without allies: 23% retain rank >4 years -..."
"Book 3, Chapter 4: Coalition Building Opening: The Chimpanzee Who Counted Alliances In 1976, at Arnhem Zoo in the Netherlands, a chimpanzee named Yeroen lost his alpha posit..."
"...ains unresolved: the relationship between Freud and Frodo is damaged. If they don't reconcile, the damage persists. Frodo will avoid Freud, reducing coalition opportunities. Freud will remain vigilant around Frodo, wasting energy on monitoring a potential threat."
"...also practices multi-modal redundancy - and nowhere was this more critical than during the 1991 Gulf War. January 17, 1991, 2:00 AM London time. Coalition forces had begun bombing Baghdad. Within hours, Iraqi authorities started jamming BBC Arabic Service radio broadcasts."
And 3 more chapters...
Biological Context
Chimpanzee males form coalitions to challenge dominant individuals. Female baboons ally against aggressive males. Coalition formation is a key component of social intelligence and Machiavellian behavior. Success often depends on choosing the right allies and knowing when to defect.
Business Application
Business coalitions: joint ventures, industry associations, and political alliances. Coalition dynamics explain why partnerships form, how they evolve, and why they eventually dissolve when interests diverge.