Changing Patterns of Power, Chaotic Dynamics and the Emergence of a Post‐modern Organizational Paradigm

Argues that a shift of market power from business to consumers in recent years has resulted in a parallel shift to a post‐modern organizational paradigm that will ultimately replace traditional hierarchical organizations. The post‐modern paradigm, with diffused power, broad communications channels, and “chaotic” flows of ideas and information, is more flexible and creative, and, therefore, more competitive under conditions of substantial consumer power than traditional structures. Uses interdisciplinary concepts from cybernetics and chaotic dynamical theory to show how the hierarchical organizational structure emerged from an earlier pattern of market power and to indicate the nonlinear, holistic structure of the emerging paradigm.