Introduction

Hierarchy is only one of the forms in which joint social action may be organised and yet the language of organisation theory is pervaded by talk of ‘leaders’ and ‘subordinates’. As it stands currently, organisation theory has little to say about collective and non-hierarchical forms of organisation. The contention of this book is that organising activity which takes place in ‘alternative’ settings such as the Women’s Centres explored here falls just as appropriately within the scope of organisation theory as that which takes place within complex hierarchically structured work organisations. If this contention is accepted it is then likely that the insights derived from an examination of organising activity in ‘alternative’ settings will aid the development of a theory of organising which is not tied to the dominant structures and discourses of contemporary capitalism.