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Lookup NU author(s): Professor John Sillince
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This paper addresses the paradox that despite all organizational change towards flatter and postmodern organizations, hierarchical order is quite persistent. We develop a differentiated understanding of hierarchy as either formal or informal and apply this analytical framework to several types of organization. The analysis reveals that hierarchy is much more widespread than thought; in particular, postmodern, representative democratic and network organizations are much less ‘alternative’ and ‘hierarchy-free’ than their labels and common understanding may suggest. The main argument is that the persistence of hierarchy in different types of organization can be explained by different dynamic relationships between formal and informal hierarchy.
Author(s): Diefenbach T, Sillince JAA
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Organization Studies
Year: 2011
Volume: 32
Issue: 11
Pages: 1515-1537
Print publication date: 01/11/2011
ISSN (print): 0170-8406
ISSN (electronic): 1741-3044
Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0170840611421254
DOI: 10.1177/0170840611421254
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