WHY A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE?

As stated in the May 2011 report from the Coordinator Networking Development Team (CND), the current organizational structure suffers from the following issues: the role of the global coordinators is not clear, resulting in friction between chapters and the International Coordination the coordinator system is not well understood (competency, required skills, responsibilities, etc.) there is a perception of a de-facto, quasi-authoritarian leadership the scientific method, although constantly emphasized, is not being applied to the organizational structure and decision-making standard organizational functions are not clear (complaints, feedback, etc.)

PROPOSAL OF A UNIFIED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE FOR THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT ON A REGIONAL, NATIONAL, CONTINENTAL AND PLANETARY BASIS
WORLD ARBITRATION BOARD (WAB)
ALWAYS PRECEEDED BY MEDIATION (GENERAL RULES APPLY) CONVENES ON AN AD HOC BASIS IN THE CASE OF A DISPUTE BETWEEN THE WBCC AND/OR WBEC AND ANY OF THE CBNC ANR/OR CBEC IF THE DISPUTE COULD NOT BE SOLVED OTHERWISE (COMPROMISE, MEDIATOR, ETC.) OR IN THE CASE OF AN APPEAL FROM THE CAB ALSO DEALS WITH FACTUAL COMPLAINTS AND PROCEDURAL INQUIRIES AFTER AN APPEAL BY THE CLAIMANT TO THE WBCC`S/ WBEC`S DECISION CONSISTS OF THE PARTIES TO A DISPUTE (EACH REPRESENTED BY AN UNEVEN NUMBER OF DELEGATES) AND ONE DELEGATE FROM ALL NBCs (IN THE CASE OF A DISPUTE REGARDING ST OR PA MATTERS EXPERT KNOWLEDGE IS REQUIRED) NO CONFLICT OF INTERESTS ALLOWED DECIDES ACCORDING TO THE THREE-STEP-PROCESS PROVIDES FINAL AND BINDING DECISIONS, NO FURTHER APPEAL

WORLD BOARD OF CONTINENTAL COORDINATORS (WBCC)

CONSISTS OF ALL CONTINENTAL COORDINATORS DECIDES UPON GENERAL MATTERS CONCERNING THE MOVEMENT AS A WHOLE ON A PLANETARY LEVEL, MEDIATES CONFLICTS, HAS ABSOLUTE VETO POWER WITH REGARD TO THE EVERY CBNC DECISION ON GENERAL MATTERS, MAY IMPOSE DUTIES, TASKS AND SANCTIONS ON EVERY CBNC AND CBNC MEMBER, MAY REVERT DECISIONS MADE BY A CBNC

JOINT DECISION
BOTH BOARDS MUST AGREE, IF NOT, WAB DECIDES

WORLD BOARD OF EXPERT COORDINATORS (WBEC)

CONSISTS OF ONE COORDINATOR FOR EVERY SUPPORT TEAM AND ONE FOR EVERY PROJECT AREA ON A PLANETARY LEVEL DECIDES UPON MATTERS CONCERNING ST ACTIVITIES AND PA PROJECTS, HAS ABSOLUTE VETO POWER WITH REGARD TO EVERY CBEC DECISION ON ST ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS, MAY IMPOSE DUTIES, TASKS AND SANCTIONS ON EVERY CBEC AND CBEC MEMBER, MAY REVERT DECISIONS MADE BY A CBEC

ABSOLUTE VETO
IN CASE OF A COMPETENCY DISPUTE, WAB DECIDES WHO IS AUTHORIZED

AGAINST A MEMBER OF A CBNC/CBEC OR A CBNC/CBEC AS A WHOLE OR A MEMBER OF THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT ON THE PLANETARY LEVEL

BASIC OVERVIEW
It is the aim of this organizational structure to provide a unified, coherent, reasonable and comprehensive approach to the functioning of The Zeitgeist Movement as a whole and its decision-making processes. The proposed organizational structure is based upon these approaches: global approach an international, or in the case of the Zeitgeist Movement planetary organization can only function effectively when its organizational structure reflects all its levels from regional and national to continental and world-wide balanced approach every country and therefore chapter has its own characteristics and cultural features which need to be respected, but not at the expense of international cooperation and organizational and decisional effectiveness; the careful balancing of uniformity and uniqueness is of utmost importance project-oriented approach projects developed in various project areas should be the building blocks of the movements activities with which the road to a step-by-step introduction of a resourcebased economy is paved and which enable the movement to move forward from words to actions scientific approach the knowledge and expertise of every single one of its members are the treasure and driving force of The Zeitgeist Movement and should hence play a vital role in its organization and decision-making, which is reflected in this proposal by putting the emphasis on professional expertise on almost every level of decision-making value-oriented approach we should not exclude anybody who wants to contribute to a project or activity within the movement from being able to do so if he or she respects its basic values and principles, but on the other hand we should not be reluctant to employ higher standards of expertise and understanding on such positions within the movement which entail higher responsibility ABSOLUTE VETO (GENERAL MATTERS)

NOMINATES ONE REPRESENTATIVE (CONSENSUS BETWEEN CBNC AND WBCC REQUIRED)

NOMINATES ONE OR MORE REPRESENTATIVES (CONSENSUS BETWEEN CBNC AND WBEC REQUIRED)

ABSOLUTE VETO (SUPPORT TEAM ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS)

DISPUTES WBCC/WBEC vs. CBNC/CBEC or internal

CONTINENTAL BOARD OF NATIONAL COORDINATORS (CBNC)

CONSISTS OF ALL NATIONAL CHAPTER COORDINATORS FROM A CONTINENT DECIDES UPON GENERAL MATTERS CONCERNING THE MOVEMENT AS A WHOLE ON A CONTINENTAL LEVEL, MEDIATES CONFLICTS, HAS ABSOLUTE VETO POWER WITH REGARD TO THE EVERY NBC DECISION ON GENERAL MATTERS, MAY IMPOSE DUTIES, TASKS AND SANCTIONS ON EVERY NBC AND NBC MEMBER, MAY REVERT DECISIONS MADE BY A NBC NOMINATES A CONTINENTAL CHAPTER COORDINATOR (TO WBCC)

CONTINENTAL ARBITRATION BOARD (CAB)

JOINT DECISION
BOTH BOARDS MUST AGREE, IF NOT, CAB DECIDES

CONTINENTAL BOARD OF EXPERT COORDINATORS (CBEC)

CONSISTS OF ONE COORDINATOR FOR EVERY SUPPORT TEAM AND ONE FOR EVERY PROJECT AREA ON A CONTINENTAL LEVEL DECIDES UPON MATTERS CONCERNING ST ACTIVITIES AND PA PROJECTS, HAS ABSOLUTE VETO POWER WITH REGARD TO EVERY NB DECISION ON ST ACTIVITIES AND PA PROJECTS, MAY IMPOSE DUTIES, TASKS AND SANCTIONS ON EVERY NB AND NB MEMBER, MAY REVERT DECISIONS MADE BY A NB NOMINATES ONE OR MORE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE WBEC

ABSOLUTE VETO
IN CASE OF A COMPETENCY DISPUTE, CAB DECIDES WHO IS AUTHORIZED

AGAINST A MEMBER OF A NBC OR A NBC AS A WHOLE OR A MEMBER OF THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT ON THE CONTINENTAL LEVEL

ABSOLUTE VETO (GENERAL MATTERS)

NOMINATES ONE REPRESENTATIVE (CONSENSUS BETWEEN NBC AND CBNC REQUIRED)

NOMINATES ONE OR MORE REPRESENTATIVES (CONSENSUS BETWEEN NBC AND CBNC REQUIRED)

ABSOLUTE VETO (SUPPORT TEAM ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS)

DISPUTES CBNC/CBEC vs. NBC or internal

ALWAYS PRECEEDED BY MEDIATION (GENERAL RULES APPLY) CONVENES ON AN AD HOC BASIS IN THE CASE OF A DISPUTE BETWEEN A CBNC AND/OR CBEC AND ANY OF THE NBC ON A RESPECTIVE CONTINENT IF THE DISPUTE COULD NOT BE SOLVED OTHERWISE (COMPROMISE, MEDIATOR, ETC.) ALSO DEALS WITH FACTUAL COMPLAINTS AND PROCEDURAL INQUIRIES AFTER AN APPEAL BY THE CLAIMANT TO THE CBNCS/ CBECS DECISION CONSISTS OF THE PARTIES TO A DISPUTE (EACH REPRESENTED BY AT LEAST 3 DELEGATES) AND ONE DELEGATE FROM THE WBCC/ WBEC (GENERAL/EXPERT MATTER) NO CONFLICT OF INTERESTS ALLOWED DECIDES ACCORDING TO THE THREE-STEP-PROCESS APPEAL TO WAB POSSIBLE PROVIDES FINAL AND BINDING DECISIONS, IF NO APPEAL MADE

NATIONAL BOARD OF COORDINATORS (NBC)

CONSISTS OF ALL SUPPORT TEAM, PROJECT AREA AND SUBCHAPTER COORDINATORS FROM A NATIONAL CHAPTER DECIDES UPON GENERAL MATTERS CONCERNING THE MOVEMENT AS A WHOLE, MATTERS CONCERNING SUPPORT TEAM ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS AND MATTERS CONCERNING SUBCHAPTERS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL, HAS ABSOLUTE VETO POWER WITH REGARD TO EVERY ST, PA AND SC DECISION, MAY IMPOSE DUTIES, TASKS AND SANCTIONS ON EVERY ST, PA, SC AND NATIONAL CHAPTER MEMBER, MAY REVERT DECISIONS MADE BY ST, PA AND SC COORDINATORS NOMINATES A NATIONAL CHAPTER COORDINATOR (TO CBNC) MAY, WITH REGARD TO EACH RESPECTIVE ST AND PA, IN COOPERATION WITH THE ST AND PA COORDINATORS FROM OTHER NATIONAL CHAPTERS NOMINATE ONE OR MORE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CBEC
AGAINST A MEMBER OF THE NBC, THE NBC AS A WHOLE OR A MEMBER OF THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL

NATIONAL ARBITRATION BOARD (NAB)

ALWAYS PRECEEDED BY MEDIATION (GENERAL RULES APPLY) CONVENES ON AN AD HOC BASIS IN THE CASE OF A DISPUTE BETWEEN A NBC AND ANY OF THE ST, PA OR SC IN A RESPECTIVE COUNTRY IF THE DISPUTE COULD NOT BE SOLVED OTHERWISE (COMPROMISE, MEDIATOR, ETC.) ALSO DEALS WITH FACTUAL COMPLAINTS AND PROCEDURAL INQUIRIES AFTER AN APPEAL BY THE CLAIMANT TO THE NBCS DECISION CONSISTS OF THE PARTIES TO A DISPUTE (EACH REPRESENTED BY AT LEAST 3 DELEGATES) AND ONE DELEGATE FROM THE WBCC/ WBEC (GENERAL/EXPERT MATTER) NO CONFLICT OF INTERESTS ALLOWED DECIDES ACCORDING TO THE THREE-STEP-PROCESS APPEAL TO CAB POSSIBLE PROVIDES FINAL AND BINDING DECISIONS, IF NO APPEAL MADE

DECISION-MAKING
Within any organization or group of people decisions have to be made and someone has to make them or, ideally, arrive at them. In order to ensure a reasonable, representative, scientific, expertise-oriented and fair process of making and arriving at decisions, the following three-step process is proposed: 1. Decision by consensus The most ideal way of arriving at a decision is when after balancing the pros and cons of a certain matter, everybody agrees with a proposed solution. 2. Decision by compromise When one or more persons engaged in making/arriving at a decision dont agree with a proposed solution, a compromise has to be reached by means of negotiation or a tradeoff, where it is the duty of the majority to carefully listen and weigh the arguments of the minority. 3. Decision by voting Voting should be the last resort of making a decision and be used only when no consensus or compromise could be reached and a decision has to be made, that is, when there is no possibility of adjourning it to a later date. If a decision is to be made by means of voting, the majority of all members of a respective group has to be present and the majority of those members is required for a decision to be made. All individuals, groups of people or organizational bodies involved in a certain matter which has to be decided are parties to a decision and have a right to take part in it. Every decision should respect and reflect the basic values and principles of the Zeitgeist Movement: holistic worldview humanism based on creativity, cooperation and symbiosis ecological behaviour and actions the scientific method transparency and accountability Every decision should also respect and reflect our common strategic goal: the step-by-step introduction of a resource-based economy by means of a comprehensive transition period.

DISPUTES NBC vs. ST/PA/SC

COORDINATOR(S) OF EACH TEAM (CONSENSUS BETWEEN ST AND NBC REQUIRED) ABSOLUTE VETO ABSOLUTE VETO

COORDINATOR(S) OF EACH AREA (CONSENSUS BETWEEN PA AND NBC REQUIRED) ABSOLUTE VETO

COORDINATOR OF EACH SUBCHAPTER (CONSENSUS BETWEEN SC AND NBC REQUIRED)

SUPPORT TEAMS (ST)

EACH TEAM: 1-2 COORDINATORS

PROJECT AREAS (PA)

EACH AREA: 1-2 COORDINATORS

SUBCHAPTERS (SC)
EACH SUBCHAPTER: 1-2 COORDINATORS

Language Team Organizational Team Communications Team Multimedia Team Administrative Team IT Team

Economics & Resources Decision-making & Society Education & Communication Science & Technology Health & Ecology Culture & Art

Quantity depending on the existing official administrative division of each country (i.e. regions, states, etc.) or a similar division established by the national chapter.

ABSOLUTE VETO (All coordinators of a project within a project area with regard to a decision of the NB on approving a project)

FACTUAL COMPLAINT PROCEDURAL INQUIRY PROPOSAL (IF NOT SATISFIED WITH A DECISION REGARDING A COMPLAINT OR INQUIRY, AN APPEAL TO THE RESPECTIVE ARBITRATION BOARD IS POSSIBLE)

DRAFT BY:

VERSION 1.0 / JUNE 2011

Andrej Balazik (admin@zeitgeistmovement.sk)

MEMBERS OF THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT

European Chapters Coordinator National Chapter Coordinator Slovakia PA Coordinator (Decision-making & Society) Slovakia

MEMBER OF AT LEAST ONE SUPPORT TEAM, PROJECT WITHIN A PROJECT AREA OR OFFICIAL SUBCHAPTER

NOT A MEMBER OF AT LEAST ONE SUPPORT TEAM, PROJECT WITHIN A PROJECT AREA OR OFFICIAL SUBCHAPTER

Jan Janso (prometheus@zeitgeistmovement.sk)

PA Coordinator (Education & Communication) Slovakia

Many thanks to all the members of the Zeitgeist Movement Chapter in Slovakia for their suggestions, advice and critique.

REGISTERED USERS
GLOBAL REGISTRATION, USER-DATABASE AND SOCIAL NETWORK FOR THE ZEITGEIST MOVEMENT AS A WHOLE (UNIVERSAL BACK END, INDIVIDUAL FRONT END FOR CHAPTERS)