Branding Sociocracy in the United States
Since sociocracy was introduced in North America, problems with the name “sociocracy” have hounded it. Unlike European countries, Americans associate sociocracy negatively with “socialism,” sociocracy is harder to say in English than in many other languages. Unfortunately, the rejection of the word “sociocracy” and the use of alternatives continue to confuse the public and obstruct efforts to develop a cohesive image, a “brand” in the current marketing vernacular.
A Solution for Branding Sociocracy
Some of… Read More . . . “Branding Sociocracy in the United States”Introduction to Holacracy
The Holes in Holacracy
An informed article by “Schumpeter” (no first name available), The Holes in Holacracy, included in the print edition as well as online. Schumpeter’s points are really about new branded methods failing. They are gone in 10 years. (Sociocracy on which Holacracy is based has not failed in 40 years.)
EVERY so often a company emerges from the herd to be lauded as the embodiment of leading-edge management thinking. Think of Toyota and its lean manufacturing… Read More . . . “The Holes in Holacracy”Laws and Policies: The Differences
Won’t the prescriptive Norms in sociocracy and the Constitution in Holacracy impose the rule of law, which will quickly devolve into the rule of lawyers? The more arcane and opaque the law is, the more tyrannical that law becomes.
My response to this requires a distinction between laws and policies. Laws and policies are the same in that both govern future actions and decisions. Laws are made by governments to govern the actions of citizens… Read More . . . “Laws and Policies: The Differences”Worker Cooperatives Correcting Wealth Distribution
Cooperative ownership doesn’t guarantee that a cooperative will be a worker cooperative, nor do they necessarily correct inequities in wealth distribution.
Shaila Dewan titled her New York Times Sunday Magazine article on worker co-operatives, “Who Needs a Boss?”, undoubtedly reflecting the publicity from Zappo’s recent decision to try Holacracy, a governance method developed from sociocracy. A flurry of articles that included some variation of “no more bosses” or “no titles” became very popular. The problem… Read More . . . “Worker Cooperatives Correcting Wealth Distribution”