Introduction

Networks, networking, network organisations, networkmanagement, network formation,… are concepts that are used in the recent management literature. Terms, such as, self-organising, complexity, adaptation, co-evolution, feedback and circularity... constitute more and more an alternative for the 'native language' of the classical hierarchical organisations. A vocabulary that uses concepts as: mandates, chain of command and decision, unity of command, control, hierarchy, position, uniformity, predictability, procedure, etc. match with a top-down approach where the management steers the underlying echelons by the two 'C's' : Command and control.

A pyramidal organisation structure with different layers or echelons and clear organisation charts with line- and staff positions does not give us handles enough anymore to cope with the complex challenges of today, not to mention the challenges of tomorrow.

Every company or organisation is confronted with changes that are continuously faster and more complex. To navigate an organisation through a turbulent sea requires a lot of steermanship. The design of the organisation requires an adapted organisational design. Unsinkable ships do not exist but still the question emerges, ‘Which organisational design keeps the ship floating?’ Furthermore, how can we use the high waves as motor and guide for the new organisational evolution?

In order to make the organisation fit and to keep it fit for tomorrow, one has to start today with the planning and implementation of the necessary adjustments. Experience shows that coping with fast and complex alterations (fluctuations and even avalanches) is impossible unless a ‘horizontal’ organisational design based on ‘network-thinking’ is used. In this design the company is considered as a social eco-system where stimulating self-organisation is of primordial importance to increase the vitality, the adaptive capacity, and thus the competitive fitness. A networkorganisation or networked organisation is an organisation that operates according to this principles. (*)

This is the focus of www.networkorganisation.net. How to rebuild an organisation with an eye to the challenges of tomorrow? How to build an organisation that is not only able to survive but it also capable to steer the direction of the environmental change?

(*): Uit: ROOSE Herman: Managen van netwerkorganisaties, 2002, Garant, Leuven - Apeldoorn. (The book will be translated soon : 'Managing networkorganisations')