Organization
Organization Domain Schema Documentation
Overview
The Organization domain represents the structured entity within which activities and value delivery occur. It focuses on organizational identity, structure, legal framework, and foundational characteristics that define how the organization is constituted and operates.
This domain captures the essential attributes that define what an organization is - its legal structure, geographic footprint, cultural foundation, and hierarchical organization - providing the foundational context for all other enterprise architecture domains.
Schema Version: 2.1
Last Updated: July 2025
License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What are Organizations?
Organizations are structured entities that coordinate activities and resources to deliver value to customers and stakeholders. They can range from government agencies and multinational corporations to local businesses and non-profit organizations. The Organization domain captures both the formal structure and cultural aspects that influence how work gets done.
Organization Units
Within an Organization, an organization unit represents a sub-division or entity that focuses on specific functions, processes, or objectives to contribute to overall organizational goals. These units act as operational or strategic building blocks, enabling the organization to deliver value effectively through specialized capabilities and clear accountability structures.
Organization Attributes
Attribute | Type | Description | Example | Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| String | The name or title of the Organization | "Office of Railroad Safety", "Deutsche Bahn AG" | ✓ |
| String | Shortened form of organization name | "Railroad Safety", "DB", "SRC" |
|
| Enum | Type of organization |
| ✓ |
| String | Country where headquartered or primarily operates | "United States of America", "Germany" | ✓ |
| String | Detailed explanation of the Organization | "Regional safety oversight office responsible for..." | ✓ |
| String | Organization structure description | "5 Regional Offices - 8 Technical Divisions" |
|
| Enum | Type of organizational structure |
|
|
| String | Key roles within the Organization | "Regional Administrator, Chief Safety Inspector..." |
|
| String | Mission of the Organization | "Reduce railroad-related accidents through..." |
|
| String | Vision of the Organization | "Zero train accidents through technology-enabled..." |
|
| String | Core values guiding the Organization | "Safety First, Data-Driven Decisions..." |
|
| Enum | Legal structure of the Organization |
| ✓ |
| String | Locations and geographic reach | "8 regions covering 140,000 miles of track" |
|
| Enum | Geographic scope of operations |
|
|
| Enum | Operational model for geographic presence |
|
|
| String | Size in terms of employees, revenue etc. | "847 field inspectors, $2.3B annual budget" |
|
| Enum | Primary currency for financial reporting |
|
|
| String | Culture description | "Data-driven safety culture with 94% engagement" |
|
| Enum | Type of organizational culture |
|
|
| String | History and milestones | "Est. 1966, implemented PTC mandate 2008..." |
|
| Array[Enum] | Applicable regulatory frameworks | [ |
|
| Array[Enum] | Primary languages used | [ |
|
| Array[Object] | Sub-organization units | See Organization Unit schema below |
|
Enhanced Enumeration Values
Organization Type (orgType)
Value | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| General government entity | US Environmental Protection Agency |
| National-level government agency | Federal Railroad Administration |
| Regional government agency | California Department of Transportation |
| Regional administrative body | European Central Bank |
| Local government entity | City of London Corporation |
| Publicly traded corporation | Deutsche Bahn AG |
| Private corporation | Uber Technologies Inc |
| General corporate entity | General Electric Company |
| LLC structure | Tesla Energy Operations LLC |
| Partnership structure | McKinsey & Company |
| Individual ownership | Local consulting practice |
| Cooperative organization | REI Co-op |
| Collaborative entity | Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications |
| Non-profit entity | World Wildlife Fund |
| Government-owned corporation | Canada Post |
| Government-owned business | Singapore Airlines |
| Cross-border organization | United Nations |
| Other organization types | Specialized entity types |
Structure Type (structureType)
Value | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Organized by business function | Traditional departments: HR, Finance, Operations |
| Organized by product/market divisions | General Motors: Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC divisions |
| Dual reporting relationships | Project managers report to both functional and project leaders |
| Traditional top-down structure | Military-style command structure |
| Minimal hierarchy levels | Startup with CEO and individual contributors |
| Organized by geographic regions | EMEA, APAC, Americas regions |
| Organized by countries | Country managers for each national market |
| Global structure | Global product managers across all markets |
| Central hub with satellite units | Central R&D with regional implementation teams |
| Spread across locations | Remote-first organization structure |
| Network-based organization | Alliance of independent partners |
| Virtual organization | Fully remote workforce |
| Mixed structural approaches | Combination of functional and product structures |
| Organized around products | Amazon: AWS, Prime, Retail product teams |
| Organized around customers | Enterprise, SMB, Consumer market segments |
| Organized by service lines | Consulting, Audit, Tax service lines |
| Project-driven structure | Construction or engineering firms |
| Agile team structure | Spotify's squad and tribe model |
| Agile squad model | Netflix's autonomous team structure |
| Other structure types | Unique organizational models |
Legal Structure (legalStructure)
Value | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| National government department | US Department of Transportation |
| Regional government body | Ontario Ministry of Transportation |
| Regional administrative entity | Port Authority of New York and New Jersey |
| City or local government | Transport for London |
| Independent public organization | UK's Network Rail |
| Government-owned corporate entity | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Government-owned business | China Railway Corporation |
| Partially government-owned | Temasek Holdings (Singapore) |
| Publicly traded corporation | British Airways PLC |
| Private corporation | SpaceX (Private) |
| Standard corporate structure | Microsoft Corporation |
| LLC legal structure | Google LLC |
| Partnership arrangement | Deloitte & Touche LLP |
| Limited partner structure | Private equity funds |
| LLP structure | Law firms, accounting firms |
| Individual business ownership | Independent consultant |
| Member-owned organization | Credit unions, agricultural cooperatives |
| Share-based ownership | Société Anonyme (France) |
| Collaborative public-private entity | Infrastructure development projects |
| Shared ownership entity | Airbus (European consortium) |
| Group of organizations | Research consortiums |
| Single-purpose entity | Project financing vehicles |
| Trust arrangement | Investment trusts |
| Non-profit foundation | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Independent non-profit | Doctors Without Borders |
| Multi-national entity | International Monetary Fund |
| Above national level | European Union institutions |
| Other legal structures | Unique legal arrangements |
Geographic Scope (geographicScope)
Value | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Single city or metropolitan area | New York City Transit Authority |
| State or provincial coverage | California High-Speed Rail Authority |
| Single country operations | Amtrak (United States) |
| Multiple specific countries | Eurostar (UK, France, Belgium) |
| Entire continent coverage | European Space Agency |
| Worldwide operations | International Air Transport Association |
| Specific cross-border regions | US-Mexico border operations |
| Economic/political bloc | ASEAN member operations |
| Developing economy focus | Microfinance institutions |
| Advanced economy focus | Luxury goods companies |
| Asia-Pacific region | APAC technology companies |
| EMEA region coverage | Regional headquarters |
| North and South America | Pan-American organizations |
| No physical geographic limits | Online-only services |
Operational Model (operationalModel)
Value | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Central control and decision-making | Apple's centralized design and strategy |
| Distributed decision-making authority | Johnson & Johnson's autonomous subsidiaries |
| Central hub with satellite operations | FedEx distribution network |
| Equal nodes in network | Blockchain organizations |
| Licensed independent operators | McDonald's restaurant system |
| License intellectual property | Software licensing companies |
| Local representation only | Foreign company branch offices |
| Shared ownership operations | Automotive manufacturing partnerships |
| Long-term collaborative agreements | Airline alliance partnerships |
Currency (currency)
Value | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| United States Dollar | American companies |
| Euro | European Union companies |
| British Pound Sterling | UK-based organizations |
| Japanese Yen | Japanese corporations |
| Chinese Yuan | Chinese state enterprises |
| Swiss Franc | Swiss financial institutions |
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