The story of how we arrived at this taxonomy

Here’s an exercise to compare our emergent framework with other organizational design frameworks. It was really helpful in pointing out potential blindspots in our research and ultimately helped us refine our framework.

| The Either/Org Project’s emergent taxonomy | Fundamental Structure

Legal Structure & Ownership Funding Models Governance Boundaries & Ecosystem | People Structure

Structural Logic Talent Mobility Role Design | Individual Performance & Incentives

Compensation & Benefits Expectations & Policies Feedback & Growth | Ways of Working Together

Workflow & Operations Decisions, Planning & Change Relationships & Human Dynamics | Experiential Context

Location of Work Workspace & Environment Systems & Tools | Strategic Intent: Purpose, Values, Strategy, Business Model | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | OS Canvas, Brave New Work | Authority - how we share power and make decisions Membership - how we define and cultivate relationships | Structure - how we organize and team | Compensation - how we pay and provide, Mastery - how we grow and mature | Workflow - how we divide and do the work, Purpose - how we orient and steer, Strategy - how we plan and prioritize, Resources - how we invest our time and money, Innovation - how we learn and evolve, Meetings - how we convene and coordinate | Information - how we share and use data | | | Burke-Litwin Model of Organizational Performance and Change | Structure | Leadership, Systems (Policies & Procedures) | Individual Needs & Values, Motivation, Task Requirements and Individual Skills and Abilities | Individual and Organizational Performance, Management Practices, Organizational Culture, Work Unit Climate | | Mission and Strategy, External Environment | | Leavitt’s Diamond | structure | people | | tasks | technology | | | Weisbord’s Six-Box Model | structures - how do we divide up the work? | leadership - is someone keeping the boxes in balance? | rewards - are there incentives for all that needs doing? | relationships - how do we manage conflict? | helpful mechanisms - have we adequate coordinating technologies? | purposes - what ‘business are we in?’, The outside environment - “everything else” what constraints and demands does it impose? | | Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model | structure - formal organizational arrangements | people | | work, feedback, culture - informal organizational arrangements | | strategy, Inputs, Outputs | | McKinsey 7S | Structure | Staff | Skills | Systems, Style | | Superordinate Goals/Shared Values, Strategy | | Galbraith Star Model | Structure - power | People - skillsets/mindsets | Rewards - motivation | Processes - information | | Strategy - direction

| | Reinventing Organizations, Frederic LaLoux | Organization Structure, Stakeholder relationship | | Thinking, Feeling, Attitude, Knowledge, Skills, Behavior, Leadership Style, Personnel Development, Salary | Work Climate, Process, Flow of Information/Communication, Resource Efficiency, Decision Making, Conflict Resolution, Meetings | | Vision and Core Values, Products and Services |