Lanchester's Square Law
Coalition size matters more than individual quality in organizational conflicts.
Military strategist Frederick Lanchester discovered that fighting power scales with the square of coalition size, not linearly. This 'Square Law' applies to any conflict where multiple actors can engage simultaneously. Coalition of 3 (individual strength 2 each): 3² × 2 = 18 effective power. Coalition of 2 (individual strength 4 each): 2² × 4 = 16 effective power. The larger coalition wins despite having weaker individual members.
Business Application of Lanchester's Square Law
Coalition size matters more than individual quality in organizational conflicts. Three mid-ranking allies consistently defeat two high-ranking opponents. This explains why chimpanzee politics - and human organizational politics - favor coalition builders over lone dominance.
Discovery
Frederick Lanchester (1916)
Established mathematical basis for coalition dynamics applicable across species