ADHOCRACY

An adhocracy is an organization that lacks structure—the complete opposite of a bureaucracy. This form of organization is common among advertising agencies and other creativity-based companies. Startups often opt for such a structure as well because of its tendency to foster a team atmosphere. Characteristics of an adhocracy-type firm include taking risks and being flexible as new projects arise.

Not surprisingly, one e-company even chose to use the term as its name. Adhocracy LLC is an Internet-based marketing communications company consisting of advertising, communications, and Web professionals who work in a tele-computing atmosphere. The firm's creative teams provide advertising, Web design, direct mail, ideation (sometimes described simply as the development of ideas), cyber-commerce, and market strategy services to mid-level businesses. It supports clients via offices in Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Washington, D.C.

Adhocracy got its start in the 1990s when an ad hoc group of advertising professionals began to work on freelance projects together. The group noticed a strong demand within mid-sized companies for marketing communication services. This demand led President Brooks Richey to develop an organization that utilized the skills of top-level advertising and communications professionals to offer marketing services.

One of the services offered by Adhocracy is the creation of cyber-commerce sites. Roper Starch Worldwide polled 30 nations and found the United States to have the largest proportion of e-commerce consumers and the fastest-growing number of Internet users. To take advantage of these statistics, businesses continue to look for ways to promote their product or service online. Adhocracy provides its services to businesses seeking online growth and works with them to develop secure online cyber-stores which enable Web surfers to browse and shop on the site and make online purchases.

The firm also provides Web design using both HTML and flash-based Web content, including streaming audio and video programming. It develops and creates Internet advertising programs and other marketing strategies that allow for maximum exposure on the Internet. Additionally, the company's team of professionals offers ideation (brainstorming) and other marketing services.

FURTHER READING:

Adhocracy LLC. "Welcome to Adhocracy.com " Adhocracy LLC, 2001. Available from www.adhocracy.com

"Adhocracy." Encyclopedia of the New Economy. Waltham, MA: Terra Lycos, 2001. Available from www.hotwired.lycos.com/special/ene.

"Facts and Figures." The Internet Economy Indicators, 2001. Available from www.internetindicators.com/factfigure.html

Tovey, Roberta. "Best Firms More Alike Than Different—Around the Globe." Insights From MSI. 2000. Available from www.msi.org

adhocracy A term used to describe companies that do not rely on job descriptions, hierarchy, standards, and procedures; rather, workers in the company carry out tasks because they need to be done. Adhocracies have, in the past, mainly been found in creative industries such as advertising. However, they have started to appear in companies which are associated with the Internet. Computer networks encourage this form of working since information can be easily shared between staff, thus obviating the need for formal meetings.

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