This is a bit unfair on an Anthropology sub, no need to throw dust into reader's eyes with a small detail.
Graeber was attacked(twitter spams) for this part being wrong by that guy : ) >Apple Computers is a famous example: it was founded by (mostly Republican) computer engineers who broke from IBM in Silicon Valley in the 1980s, forming little democratic circles of twenty to forty people with their laptops in each other's garages...
This is not an important detail, had no bearing on the point he was making in the section in question, considering the depth of the book, but then his political stance gets in the way for many... he is probably annoying some people by implying that people invent better when free and connected rather than corporate/market/intellectual property. this book clearly can trigger many intellectual allergic reactions which lead some people to miss the whole point of the book and depressingly unlike Graeber's output despite he's been usually spot on about the big picture.
The most critical inventions since 1800 https://ibb.co/QnwDrCx*
*https://www.amazon.com.au/Where-Good-Ideas-Steven-Johnson/dp/1594485380 https://www.amazon.com.au/Entrepreneurial-State-Debunking-Public-Private/dp/0857282522
This is a bit unfair on an Anthropology sub, this is more of Econ mindset and throwing dust into reader's eyes.
Graeber was attacked for this part being wrong; >Apple Computers is a famous example: it was founded by (mostly Republican) computer engineers who broke from IBM in Silicon Valley in the 1980s, forming little democratic circles of twenty to forty people with their laptops in each other's garages...
This is not an important detail in the grand scheme of things discussed in the book, I think his point is that people invent better when free and connected through networks rather than within crony capitalism/intellectual property rights. This is factually true, you can see below sources that supports Graeber's narrative with historical data.
Here is a table of all the inventions since 1800, clearly most fruitful is non-market/networked approach which is similar to what Graeber was talking about in his book. https://ibb.co/QnwDrCx
https://www.amazon.com.au/Where-Good-Ideas-Steven-Johnson/dp/1594485380 https://www.amazon.com.au/Entrepreneurial-State-Debunking-Public-Private/dp/0857282522
Might be Steven Johnson. He's been on Colbert's show a few times. His book is Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation
No, I am really not trying to make this about you. I just see you focusing on debunking the articles in this piece in particular, when there's SO MUCH out there on this issue. I suggest
watching Steven Johnson's great series "How We Got To Now" which is a series of nothing but case studies of cultural crossroads leading to innovation. He's also got a book on this topic, Where Good Ideas Come From -- http://www.amazon.com/Where-Good-Ideas-Come-From/dp/1594485380. COI disclaimer: I know Steven slightly; we did a a panel interview together for Harper's Magazine once.
reading the literature on creativity, especially Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Invention -- http://www.amazon.com/Creativity-The-Psychology-Discovery-Invention/dp/0062283251
going thru this Google search https://www.google.com/search?q=diverse+teams+improve+products&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 -- with "about 136 MILLION results"
You have a lot of study debunking to do if you really want to challenge this finding. Seriously. It's pretty much accepted dogma in every business school. Architecture is designed around it -- the whole idea of crossroads gathering places in offices. Team structures are designed around it -- I assume you've heard of the cross-functional team.
> That diversity (without any explanation as to which type of diversity is credible) leads to better suggestions over other ways for people to connect and innovate.
As far as which type of diversity: all of them.
As far as better suggestions: if you have them, I am all ears, but I don't see why they are likely to be mutually exclusive with the basic idea of diverse teams.
Steven Johnson - Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation