What is it about?
When non-hierarchical groups form, new power dynamics can emerge based on new hierarchies eg skills or social status, and these can be tricky to tackle. How are these exposed and addressed? Also how do people value there work and others outside comparison with others and competition for status often found in hierarchies? What too is the role of processes in non-hierarchical setting? This article explores these questions.
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Why is it important?
There is much talk of exploring organisational structures outside of hierarchies and there increasing examples of these. Many benefits to these are cited but little is discussed about how power of different guises can emerge. These if not addressed can effect the authenticity and efficacy of working in a non-hierarchical way. Furthermore this article examines how process can be re-imagined to aid and not hinder this way of working.
Perspectives
Having worked in a non-hierarchical organisation for over eight years and have supported projects to work in this manner, I have experienced first hand how there can be uncertainty of how to operate, eg taking a lead on something without the fear of taking control or what processes can help and knowing when processes can hinder. During this research it also has exposed how many hierarchies are around all the time and it challenges therefore how to work in a group outside of that. It is hoped that this article brings some very practical ways community groups have dealt with these issues.
Miss Suzanne J Baker
Middlesex University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Exploration of Equality and Processes of Non-Hierarchical Groups, Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, July 2015, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1179/1477963315z.00000000039.
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