NetworksVsHierarchies

A major theme of this wiki is the conflict between networks and hierarchies.

There are many pages :

• OnNetworks

• OnHierarchies

And various discussions comparing the two

• HierarchiesBeatNetworks - it doesn't always go networks' way

• TheMarketLogicOfInformation

• WorkArticulationTopologies

• IsNotATree - Dangers of trying to squash things into "tree" shape when they don't go

There can be intermediate positions

• MiddleSpace

• eg. LocalIndexes

The political / economic dimension

• OnMarkets links many pages about markets, highlighting virtues and criticisms. (Where markets are considered exemplars of network organization)

• NationState talks about the state (exemplar of hierarchy) and NationState/UnderAttack talks about threats

• LeftAndRightAndScale considers an ethical defence of the left's criticism of markets.

• While DecentralizedLeft talks about the ways that the left does embrace network, rather than hierarchical organization.

• Pages linked from NetoCracy / NetworkSociety talk about the potential new ways of network organization.

• RightWingBlogMobsVsLeftWingAcademics

Beware of oversimplification

• Sometimes people like to assume there's just a dichotomy between networks / markets and hierarchies of force. But ...

** In MoneyInAnUnequalWorld, anthropologist KeithHart identifies economic life as a combination of three forces : Markets, Tribal authority (hierarchy) and social networks.

** I think there are at least four TypesOfPower which are used to hold together organizations and practices.

• And there are different TypesOfHierarchy. Which are we dealing with?

• Finally hierarchy can emerge in networks : PowerLaws / WealthHappens . So we need to understand the dangers of spontaneous / accidental hierarchy as well as institutional.

• MoneyVsHierarchy

• Hierarhical power enslaves, markets liberate : http://stumblingandmumbling.typepad.com/stumblingandmumbling/2006/04/howpowerensla.html

There's some related ideas at

http://CommunityWiki.org/HierarchyConsideredHarmful

– DavidCary

: thanks David. And welcome to ThoughtStorms. Feel free to introduce yourself on a homepage here, wander around, find things to disagree with and ArgueAgainstMe :-) – PhilJones

ValdisKrebs :http://www.orgnet.com/orgchart.html

CategoryHierarchy, CategoryNetworks, CategoryPolitics