Sentence:  Thus, career ladders existed in the industry as a whole, not in the Royal Court itself, which contributed to a sense of <WSD>lateralism</WSD> rather than hierarchy in the hotel. <WSD>Lateralism</WSD> was also reflected in the Royal Court's minimal specialization, largely because of its size. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An organizational structure in which competing interests of equal power negotiate with each other.