Nor is it assumed that everyone will agree that the final plan is necessarily the best possible one. In any event, once a year's plan is determined, and we will understand this process better after addressing allocation in chapters 5 and 6, work for the new period begins. As the year progresses, most decisions are taken within particular Northstart teams and councils, though some require ratification by the whole Northstart council, and others require approval of industry or consumer councils. But this does not mean that every decision is everyone's affair. Instead, decisions are made by those directly affected, and often people delegate authority and autonomy to others with whom they work.
Participatory organization allows democracy without nosiness.
In a participatory workplace, of course there may be males and females, homosexuals and heterosexuals, blacks, whites, Asians, and Native Americans, Catholics, Protestants, Moslems, and Jews. But Northstart employees recognize that the cultural diversity that members of different social groups bring to work should be allowed to express itself in the context of job complexes balanced for empowerment and agreeableness. To help ensure this, every month optional caucus meetings discuss whether any workplace issues affect minority group interests. Workplace caucuses have autonomous rights to challenge arrangements they believe are sexually or racially oppressive.