hierarchy
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hierarchy
A ranking system in an organization or system in which people or groups are placed above or below one another according to their status or authority.
In der Armee gibt es eine sehr strenge Hierarchie.
In the army, there is a very strict hierarchy.
You can recognize the meaning of 'Hierarchie' from the context. If people are talking about companies, the military, or the church, it means the ranking of people. If people are talking about values, goals, or needs, it means a ranking by importance.
In unserem Unternehmen gibt es kaum Hierarchien.
There are hardly any hierarchies in our company.
In connection with organizations, 'Hierarchie' is often described with certain adjectives. A 'flache Hierarchie' (flat hierarchy) has few management levels, while a 'steile' (steep) or 'strenge Hierarchie' (strict hierarchy) has many levels and clear chains of command.
Viele Start-ups bevorzugen eine flache Hierarchie mit kurzen Entscheidungswegen.
Many start-ups prefer a flat hierarchy with short decision-making paths.
Common verbs in connection with organizational structure are 'in der Hierarchie aufsteigen' (to move up in the hierarchy) or 'eine Hierarchie haben/einführen' (to have/introduce a hierarchy).
Er hat hart gearbeitet, um in der Firmenhierarchie aufzusteigen.
He worked hard to move up in the company hierarchy.
order / sequence
'die Reihenfolge' and 'die Hierarchie' both describe a kind of order, but they do not mean the same thing. 'die Reihenfolge' says in what sequence people, things, or events come: first, then, after that. 'die Hierarchie' says who or what is higher or more important than something else. You can confuse the words because both have to do with order. For a list of steps, you need 'Reihenfolge'. For rank, power, or importance, you need 'Hierarchie'.
In der Firma ist die Hierarchie klar: Frau Becker entscheidet am Ende.
In the company, the hierarchy is clear: Ms. Becker makes the final decision.
Im Kurs erklärt er die Reihenfolge der Befehle am Computer.
In the course, he explains the order of the computer commands.