non-hierarchical
No one above
Non-hierarchical describes systems or organizations without ranked levels of authority.
In a non-hierarchical workplace, decisions are made collectively rather than passed down from bosses to subordinates.
The term often appears in discussions of alternative governance: The collective operates on a non-hierarchical basis.
Non-hierarchical structures emphasize equality and shared power over traditional chains of command.
Lacking vertical variation
- decentralizedLacking single authority
- horizontalParallel to the horizon
- egalitarianEquality principle supporter
- democraticGovernment by the people
collective · collaborative · distributed · leaderless · self-organizing · peer-to-peer · bottom-up · participatory
Interlocking open weave
- webInterwoven filament structure
- networkInterconnected system
- interconnectedJoined in multiple ways
- nodalOf network vertices
circular · matrix · grid · parallel · interlocking · symmetrical · radial · modular
Serverless network architecture
- distributedDivided and given out
- decentralizedLacking single authority
- blockchainCryptographic linked transaction record
- BitTorrentDecentralized file-sharing system
federated · serverless · node · protocol · Mastodon · trustless · permissionless · open-source
Identical in amount
- peerOne of similar standing
- mutualShared between parties
- reciprocalShared between two parties
- partnershipShared business arrangement
sibling · power-sharing · level · balanced · equitable · parity · unranked · equivalent
flat
Lacking vertical variation
- decentralizedLacking single authority
- horizontalParallel to the horizon
- egalitarianEquality principle supporter
democratic · collective · collaborative · distributed · leaderless · self-organizing · peer-to-peer · bottom-up · participatory · cooperative
mesh
Interlocking open weave
- webInterwoven filament structure
- networkInterconnected system
- interconnectedJoined in multiple ways
nodal · circular · matrix · grid · parallel · interlocking · symmetrical · radial · modular · polycentric
peer-to-peer
Serverless network architecture
- distributedDivided and given out
- decentralizedLacking single authority
- blockchainCryptographic linked transaction record
BitTorrent · federated · serverless · node · protocol · Mastodon · trustless · permissionless · open-source · Wikipedia
equal
Identical in amount
- peerOne of similar standing
- mutualShared between parties
- reciprocalShared between two parties
partnership · sibling · power-sharing · level · balanced · equitable · parity · unranked · equivalent · solidarity
- decentralizationdecentralized, distribute, spread, disperse, scatter
- relationshipsfriends, romantic, family, friend, flirting
- arrangementsarrangement, orchestration, arranged, array, configuration
non-hierarchicalhierarchical
Organized by rank
pyramidal · tiered · stratified · top-down · layered
non-hierarchicalauthoritarian
Favoring absolute control
autocratic · centralized · dictatorial · patriarchal · monarchical
hierarchy, hierarchical, hierarchically, hierarchic, hierarch