General Classification of Communities

Unaffiliated Communities

This type of community comprises of individuals who are not closely linked to each other. Ideally, the members in such communities are not always affiliated to the organisation board. Therefore, unaffiliated communities are formed when there is action needed to address a common objective.

Federated Communities

Federated communities comprise of members who come together for a common course. These communities operate in an organised and collective environment, as far as the objectives of the group are concerned.

Considering that all members are expected to remain true to a common purpose, these groupings are commonly perceived as a partially individualistic. Federations of employees and workers federations are undoubtedly good examples of federated communities with a given organisation.

Affiliated Communities

Affiliated communities are characterised by some commonality or shared interest among its members. The aspect of commonality is often brought about by the fact that the members are connected to an organisation. For instance, an affiliated accounting community would mean that the members spend a large part of their lives in the accounting profession.

Hybrid Community

This type of organisational community models a hybrid society that has two distinct forms of substance. In most instances, these communities are characterized by mixed elements, value systems, and action logics derived from diverse sectors of the society.

Managed Communities

Managed communities are brought together by shared leadership. The management plays the role of enhancing cohesion among the community. It is also worth noting that individual members might be answerable to the leadership, which acts as the unifying factor. A good example of a managed community is a religious grouping, which has a single overseer.

Ideally, modern communities are not just about the existence of physical gatherings. This means that communities also exist without any regard to physical space. This also means that the interactions between members do not have to visible, thanks to technological advances in communication. Overall, the mere existence of a community is the commonality within it. Any community listed above does not depend on individual traits but on shared goals.