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Concept
Hierarchy
Summary
A hierarchy (from Greek: ἱεραρχία, from hierarkhes, 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy is an important concept in a wide variety of fields, such as architecture, philosophy, design, mathematics, computer science, organizational theory, systems theory, systematic biology, and the social sciences (especially political science).
A hierarchy can link entities either directly or indirectly, and either vertically or diagonally. The only direct links in a hierarchy, insofar as they are hierarchical, are to one's immediate superior or to one of one's subordinates, although a system that is largely hierarchical can also incorporate alternative hierarchies. Hierarchical links can extend "vertically" upwards or downwards via multiple links in the same direction, following a path. All parts of the hierarchy that are not linked vertically to one another nevertheless can be "horizontally" linked through a path by traveling up the hierarchy to find a common direct or indirect superior, and then down again. This is akin to two co-workers or colleagues; each reports to a common superior, but they have the same relative amount of authority. Organizational forms exist that are both alternative and complementary to hierarchy. Heterarchy is one such form.
Glossary of graph theory Taxonomy (general) and Structure
Hierarchies have their own special vocabulary. These terms are easiest to understand when a hierarchy is diagrammed (see below).
In an organizational context, the following terms are often used related to hierarchies:
Object: one entity (e.g., a person, department or concept or element of arrangement or member of a set)
System: the entire set of objects that are being arranged hierarchically (e.g., an administration)
Dimension: another word for "system" from on-line analytical processing (e.g.
Official source
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