silo

(noun)

In business, a unit or department within which communication and collaboration occurs vertically, with limited cooperation outside the unit.

Related Terms

Examples of silo in the following topics:

  • Functional Structure

    • Some refer to these functional areas as "silos"—entities that are vertical and disconnected from each other.
    • Smaller companies that require more adaptability and creativity may feel confined by the communicative and creative silos functional structures tend to produce.

  • Minimizing Risk of Miscommunication

    • Silos: Hierarchy in an organization is essential but it can also reduce the flow of communication.
    • Silos: Hierarchy in an organization is essential but it can also reduce the flow of communication.

  • Negotiating

    • More knowledge and wisdom can be harnessed in cross-departmental and cross-functional teams than with individuals operating in information silos.

  • Matrix Structure

    • Proponents of matrix management suggest that this structure allows team members to share information more readily across task boundaries, countering the "silo" critique of functional management.

  • Marketing Performance Metrics

    • However, long-term ROMI is often criticized as a "silo-in-the-making".

  • Wiligelmo and Other Forms of Architecture

    • The cloisters of Santo Domingo de Silos Abbey, in Northern Spain, and Moissac are fine surviving examples.

  • Network Structure

    • Communication is less siloed and flows freely, possibly opening up more opportunities for innovation.

  • The Silo D'Oro

  • Recovery

    • This graphic demonstrates the different silos receiving government aid within the domestic economy, as a direct result of the American Recover and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

  • Impact of Technology on Marketing

    • Marketers need to find a way to break down the silos and connect the data sources.