A Relational Model of Economic Organization: Relations Within, Between, and Among Economic Scales

Figures & data

Figure 1. Economic Organization Properties, Context and Outcomes

Table 1. Micro-Organization and Economics

Micro-Organization (Local to Sub-National) Scale
Organization Element	Within Relations local economy 1 – local economy two or more relations	Between Relations single or multiple local economy – to sub-national economy relations	Among Relations sub-national economy 1 – to sub-national economy two or more relations
Structure	individual firms/producers and individual households/consumers; local markets	co-operative firms and co-operative households; local and sub-national markets	local associations of firms and local associations of households; sub- national markets
Process	individual acts of consumption, individual acts of production.	co-operative acts of consumption, co-operative acts of production	associative acts of consumption associative acts of production
Function	individual exchanges of goods/resources and wealth/income	cooperative exchanges of goods/resources and wealth/income	associative exchanges of goods/resources and wealth/income
Contents	individual household and firms’ “market knowledge” and “market data”	cooperative “market knowledge” and “market data”	associative “market knowledge” and “market data”

Table 2. Meso-Organization and Economics

Meso-Organization (Sub-National to National) Scale
Organization Element	Within Relations sub-national economy 1 – to sub-national economy two or more relations	Between Relations single or multiple sub-national economy – to national economy relations	Among Relations national economy 1 – national economy two relations
Structure	individual-sub-national markets and "communities" (communities include socio- economic "status" and social "class"	co-operative-sub-national and national markets and co-operative- sub-national and national communities	national markets and communities
Process	individual-sub-national market and community acts of production and acts of consumption	co-operative-sub-national and national market and co-operative- sub-national and national community acts of production and acts of consumption	national market and national community acts of production and acts of consumption
Function	individual-sub-national market and community exchanges of goods/resources and wealth/income	"co-operative-sub-national and national market and co-operative- sub-national and national community exchanges of goods/resources and wealth/incomes"	national market and community exchange of goods/resources and wealth/income
Contents	individual-sub-national market and community “knowledge” and “data”	co-operative-sub-national and national market and co-operative- sub-national and national community “knowledge” and “data”	national market and community “knowledge” and “data”

Table 3. Macro-Organization and Economics

Macro-Organization (National to International) Scale
Organization Element	Within Relations national economy 1 – national economy two relations	Between Relations single or multiple national economy – international economic system relations	Among Relations international economic system 1 – international economic system two or more relations
Structure	national economy (as a complex adaptive, open system)	international- bilateral economic system(s)	international- multilateral economic systems
Process	national-collective economic acts of consumption and acts of production	international-bilateral economic acts of consumption and acts of production	international-multilateral economic acts of consumption and acts of production
Function	national-collective exchanges of goods and services and exchanges of wealth or income	international-bilateral trade relations (international exchange of goods/resources and wealth/income)	international-multilateral trade relations (international exchange of goods/resources and wealth/income)
Contents	national-collective economic “knowledge” and “data”	international-bilateral economic “knowledge” and “data”	international-multilateral economic “knowledge” and “data”

Figure 2. Organization, Emergence, and Evolution

Figure 3. A Model of Support and Control in Human Organization