Rebuilding Lisbon in the aftermath of the 1755 earthquake : Max Weber revisited

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw on available data regarding the historical event of the major Lisbon earthquake of 1755 in order to understand the governance structure that was set to rebuild the city of Lisbon, as well as to elaborate on Max Weber’s theory of authority. Design/methodology/approach – The present study aims to extend our knowledge on the role of leadership in organizational transformation, by examining the authority structure of governance in the aftermath of a major catastrophic event, using the study of an extreme case to generate new management theory. Findings – The study founded evidence that the successful rebuilding of Lisbon after the earthquake was accompanied by a certain kind of governance structure that included an authority structure that simultaneously incorporated Weber’s authority types of charisma, tradition and rationality; and there was a clear distinction between the roles of each kind of authority, as well as the inviolable respect and sacredness of each other’s terrain that seems to lead to that effectiveness. Research limitations/implications – It is possible that the historical conditions in which this social transformation took place might not be repeatable in today’s context, but the analysis of such an extreme case of destruction and rebuilding evidences that the “atomistic” approach of Max Weber on authority can be enriched with a “molecular” approach that, at the same time, helps to further develop the concept of “shared leadership” by analyzing it from a Weberian point of view. Practical implications – Today’s organizations should analyze their governance structure and management staff from a “molecular” Weberian perspective, if they want to achieve major transformations. Originality/value – The study further develops Max Weber’s theory of authority and discusses it regarding a “shared leadership” perspective.