DEMOCRATIC HIERARCHIES IN THE WORKPLACE - STRUCTURAL DILEMMAS AND ORGANIZATIONAL ACTION

Case data from an ethnographic study of six experimental firms illustr ate characteristic dilemmas and patterns of action in organizational g roups espousing participatory democracy. The article explores what the author calls 'democratic hierarchies' through vignettes from each cas e that highlight a particular dilemma or pattern of behavior. Three pr oblematic aspects of democratic hierarchies discussed include hierarch y and accountability; hierarchy and authority; and hierarchy and owner ship. Three recurrent behaviors include holding democratic values and business decisions in tension; participating in multiple forums, inclu ding attention to group process; and developing democratic repertoires and rituals.