Hierarchy
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
| Revision as of 06:48, 5 March 2014 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Revision as of 06:55, 5 March 2014 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) Next diff → |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | A '''hierarchy''' (Greek: hierarchia (ἱεραρχία), from [[hierarch]]es, "leader of sacred rites") is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another. Abstractly, a hierarchy can be [[Mathematical model|modelled mathematically]] as a [[rooted tree]]: the root of the tree forms the top level, and the children of a given vertex are at the same level, below their common parent. | + | A '''hierarchy''' (Greek: hierarchia (ἱεραρχία), from [[hierarch]]es, "leader of sacred rites", ultimately from ''[[hieros]], sacred) is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another. Abstractly, a hierarchy can be [[Mathematical model|modelled mathematically]] as a [[rooted tree]]: the root of the tree forms the top level, and the children of a given vertex are at the same level, below their common parent. |
| A hierarchy (sometimes abbreviated HR) can link entities either directly or indirectly, and either vertically or horizontally. The only direct links in a hierarchy, insofar as they are hierarchical, are to one's immediate superior or to one of one's subordinates, although a system that is largely hierarchical can also incorporate alternative hierarchies. Indirect hierarchical links can extend "vertically" upwards or downwards via multiple links in the same direction, following a [[path (graph theory)|path]]. All parts of the hierarchy which are not linked vertically to one another nevertheless can be "horizontally" linked through a path by traveling up the hierarchy to find a common direct or indirect superior, and then down again. This is akin to two [[co-worker]]s or [[colleague]]s; each reports to a common superior, but they have the same relative amount of authority. Organizational forms exist that are both alternative and complimentary to hierarchy. [[Heterarchy]] (sometimes abbreviated HT) is one such form. | A hierarchy (sometimes abbreviated HR) can link entities either directly or indirectly, and either vertically or horizontally. The only direct links in a hierarchy, insofar as they are hierarchical, are to one's immediate superior or to one of one's subordinates, although a system that is largely hierarchical can also incorporate alternative hierarchies. Indirect hierarchical links can extend "vertically" upwards or downwards via multiple links in the same direction, following a [[path (graph theory)|path]]. All parts of the hierarchy which are not linked vertically to one another nevertheless can be "horizontally" linked through a path by traveling up the hierarchy to find a common direct or indirect superior, and then down again. This is akin to two [[co-worker]]s or [[colleague]]s; each reports to a common superior, but they have the same relative amount of authority. Organizational forms exist that are both alternative and complimentary to hierarchy. [[Heterarchy]] (sometimes abbreviated HT) is one such form. | ||
Revision as of 06:55, 5 March 2014
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
A hierarchy (Greek: hierarchia (ἱεραρχία), from hierarches, "leader of sacred rites", ultimately from hieros, sacred) is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another. Abstractly, a hierarchy can be modelled mathematically as a rooted tree: the root of the tree forms the top level, and the children of a given vertex are at the same level, below their common parent.
A hierarchy (sometimes abbreviated HR) can link entities either directly or indirectly, and either vertically or horizontally. The only direct links in a hierarchy, insofar as they are hierarchical, are to one's immediate superior or to one of one's subordinates, although a system that is largely hierarchical can also incorporate alternative hierarchies. Indirect hierarchical links can extend "vertically" upwards or downwards via multiple links in the same direction, following a path. All parts of the hierarchy which are not linked vertically to one another nevertheless can be "horizontally" linked through a path by traveling up the hierarchy to find a common direct or indirect superior, and then down again. This is akin to two co-workers or colleagues; each reports to a common superior, but they have the same relative amount of authority. Organizational forms exist that are both alternative and complimentary to hierarchy. Heterarchy (sometimes abbreviated HT) is one such form.
Alternatives
- Rhizome (philosophy)
- Democracy
- Anarchism as a social/political theory and practice
- Peer-to-peer networks
See also
