212
efforts should target its realisation. In this field
achieving consensus promises to be extremely
challenging supported by a statement of
An-Na’im cited before: “many interpretations of
religion are simply incompatible with the interests and aims of the global civil society”.
Moreover, the interests and aims of the different
religions can be reconciled very hardly reflecting
the diversity of ideas, interests and philosophies
of life established in the human society and the
extreme complexity of the operation of the global
social system making the realisation of sustainable development some mountain to climb.
The efficiency of the activities of the global
civil society depends largely on its organisational
forms. The decentralised structure and freedom
of the Internet made it suitable for keeping contact among various organisational units at international level as well (Naughton 2001). Although
the organisational forms change network type
organisations became increasingly widespread in
the age of the Internet and today this is the typical
organisational form. Networks frequently
develop so that NGOs harmonise their activities
forming “lateral connections” both within their
own country and at international level (Anheier
and Themudo 2002).
International experience revealed the problems of networks operating without control and
central leadership. Different groups of networks
got into conflicts with each other causing disturbance in their work. Anheier and Themudo
(2002) cite the Jubilee 2000 international organization as an example that grew rapidly initially campaigning for the remission of debt of
poor countries. Its organisational form made the
mobilisation of around 24 million people possible in a relatively short period of time. Not long
after, however, conflicts emerged between
northern and southern groups in assessing the
reasons behind global inequalities and these
conflicts resulted in the erosion of the legitimacy of the whole campaign (Bauck and
Lindenberg 2001). It seems like for global presence global leadership is also necessary just as
controlling their activities. This organisational
form is also required by the own perception of
the civil society since it is frequently heard that
controlling the power and actors in the economy, a system in which they can be held responsible. In this case, it is reasonable that the
requirement has to be met by the civil society as
well. Excessive centralisation, however, has its
drawbacks. Too much information may arrive
into the centre of a global organisation the processing of which could be beyond the capacity
of the centre. Therefore, decision-making could
be more effective at lower levels where members of the organisation are closer to the original
level of information. Most civil organisations—
just like major companies—search continuously
the optimal balance between centralisation and
decentralisation.
Working in practice proved in the long-term
that the network organisational form is able to
change and accommodate. This is important
because modern globalisation affects variably
both enterprises and civil organisations including
their organisational forms as well. Global civil
organisations work simultaneously in several cultural, political and economic environment meeting variable problems and organisational tasks
drawing necessarily decentralisation. Most
expertise and particular knowledge are available
at the local level, at the same time financial
resources are not always distributed so, therefore
reallocation is often needed sometimes even
between countries. The most suitable for this is
the federation form in which the centre provides
effective collective measures to the outside world
by coordinating the units whilst providing enough
autonomy to the organisational units and the allocation of resources is adjusted to the tasks to be
carried out.
In the operation of the civil and in the successful representation of the cases tackled by them
information flow is essential. The ideal means of
which is the Internet therefore the occurrence of
Internet organisations is no surprise.
Anheier and Themudo (2002) present
Subversive Enterprises International (SEI) civil
social organisation as an example for Internetbased organisations. The primary “seat” of this
organisation is the Internet while its organisational form is rather anarchic considering both
structure and leadership. Practically the organisa5 Structure and Operation of the Global Society (Anthroposphere)
efforts should target its realisation. In this field
achieving consensus promises to be extremely
challenging supported by a statement of
An-Na’im cited before: “many interpretations of
religion are simply incompatible with the interests and aims of the global civil society”.
Moreover, the interests and aims of the different
religions can be reconciled very hardly reflecting
the diversity of ideas, interests and philosophies
of life established in the human society and the
extreme complexity of the operation of the global
social system making the realisation of sustainable development some mountain to climb.
The efficiency of the activities of the global
civil society depends largely on its organisational
forms. The decentralised structure and freedom
of the Internet made it suitable for keeping contact among various organisational units at international level as well (Naughton 2001). Although
the organisational forms change network type
organisations became increasingly widespread in
the age of the Internet and today this is the typical
organisational form. Networks frequently
develop so that NGOs harmonise their activities
forming “lateral connections” both within their
own country and at international level (Anheier
and Themudo 2002).
International experience revealed the problems of networks operating without control and
central leadership. Different groups of networks
got into conflicts with each other causing disturbance in their work. Anheier and Themudo
(2002) cite the Jubilee 2000 international organization as an example that grew rapidly initially campaigning for the remission of debt of
poor countries. Its organisational form made the
mobilisation of around 24 million people possible in a relatively short period of time. Not long
after, however, conflicts emerged between
northern and southern groups in assessing the
reasons behind global inequalities and these
conflicts resulted in the erosion of the legitimacy of the whole campaign (Bauck and
Lindenberg 2001). It seems like for global presence global leadership is also necessary just as
controlling their activities. This organisational
form is also required by the own perception of
the civil society since it is frequently heard that
controlling the power and actors in the economy, a system in which they can be held responsible. In this case, it is reasonable that the
requirement has to be met by the civil society as
well. Excessive centralisation, however, has its
drawbacks. Too much information may arrive
into the centre of a global organisation the processing of which could be beyond the capacity
of the centre. Therefore, decision-making could
be more effective at lower levels where members of the organisation are closer to the original
level of information. Most civil organisations—
just like major companies—search continuously
the optimal balance between centralisation and
decentralisation.
Working in practice proved in the long-term
that the network organisational form is able to
change and accommodate. This is important
because modern globalisation affects variably
both enterprises and civil organisations including
their organisational forms as well. Global civil
organisations work simultaneously in several cultural, political and economic environment meeting variable problems and organisational tasks
drawing necessarily decentralisation. Most
expertise and particular knowledge are available
at the local level, at the same time financial
resources are not always distributed so, therefore
reallocation is often needed sometimes even
between countries. The most suitable for this is
the federation form in which the centre provides
effective collective measures to the outside world
by coordinating the units whilst providing enough
autonomy to the organisational units and the allocation of resources is adjusted to the tasks to be
carried out.
In the operation of the civil and in the successful representation of the cases tackled by them
information flow is essential. The ideal means of
which is the Internet therefore the occurrence of
Internet organisations is no surprise.
Anheier and Themudo (2002) present
Subversive Enterprises International (SEI) civil
social organisation as an example for Internetbased organisations. The primary “seat” of this
organisation is the Internet while its organisational form is rather anarchic considering both
structure and leadership. Practically the organisa5 Structure and Operation of the Global Society (Anthroposphere)