# Organizational Structure

#### "Reorganization is one of the basic facts of organizational life." 

Organizational structures provide us methods for distributing work and authority among groups and individuals and define the relationships between this distribution. In the TEC, we have set out to establish a non-hierarchical organization that is flexible and adaptive to growth and reorganization.  

There are two theoretical concepts of organizational structure that underlie all organizational design: differentiation and integration. Differentiation refers to how an organization breaks down the functions of the organization and bundles them into effective units.  Integration refers to how an organization coordinates these units into collective, purposeful action.

Differentiation within the TEC is reflected in our smaller organizational units called Working Groups (WG's).  Each WG has a specialized area of focus that is centered around the necessary functions that enable the TEC to fulfill its mission statement. Integration within the TEC is reflected in the different roles and processes that we have established within and between Working Groups of the TEC.  

The goals of the organizational structure within the TEC are to implement [Ostrom's 8 Principle Framework](/tec-handbook/what-is-the-tec/the-cultural-build.md) for "Governing the Commons".  We encourage you to keep these principles in mind while exploring the various working groups within the TEC and connect how each organizational unit attempts to align with these 8 principles.  

![](/files/08KCZZHox88yxPGTO3PO)


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