WORD OF THE DAY: Adhocracy
[ad-HOC-rə-see]
Part of speech: Noun
Origin: Latin, 20th century
Definition: A flexible, adaptable, and informal organizational structure without bureaucratic policies or procedures.
Examples of Adhocracy in a sentence
“The council was formed as an adhocracy so everyone felt comfortable contributing.”
“The Star Trek crew came across an alien civilization that operates as a successful adhocracy.”
About Adhocracy
This word, created in the 1960s, is a combination of the Latin phrase “ad hoc” (meaning something created for a specific purpose) and “bureaucracy,” a system where elected officials make decisions. Your book club is likely an adhocracy — it was created for the purpose of discussing the latest novels, but it’s a loose structure without a lot of rules.
Did you Know?
If you’ve ever been a part of a group or a project with loose rules and regulations, or one that is generally informal, that’s an adhocracy. If you think it sounds too good to be true, it’s no surprise that adhocracies feature in many a science fiction fantasy.
