Taxonomy
A structured classification scheme that partitions a set of objects into mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive (MECE) categories. In this project, “taxonomy” refers specifically to a named, discrete set of types — not a spectrum, not a ranked ladder, not a score.
the science and practice of naming, defining, and classifying groups of items, organisms, or concepts based on shared characteristics.
Distinction from related terms
| Term | What it is | Example in this project |
|---|---|---|
| Taxonomy | Discrete, MECE named types | OECD adopter types; Choudary ecosystem archetypes |
| Ladder | Ordered stages with directionality | H1_L0-L7-ladder (L0 → L7) |
| Axis | A continuous or ordinal dimension | The six axes in 07_analytical-vocabulary |
| Framework | A structured way of thinking; may contain multiple taxonomies and axes | The full six-axis analytical frame |
| Curve | A continuous value-distribution shape | H2_u-curve-of-value |
The distinction matters for precision. Saying “she is at Level 3” implies movement along an ordered sequence. Saying “it is an Aggregator” assigns a type — there is no implied direction of travel.
Taxonomies used in this project
| Taxonomy | Source | Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Ecosystem business archetypes | choudary-ecosystem-teardown | Aggregator / Integrator / Infrastructure / Capability |
| SME adopter types | oecd-sme-adopter-taxonomy | Novices / Optimisers / Explorers / Champions |
| Strategic posture | taker-shaper-maker | Taker / Shaper / Maker |
| Business archetypes (15-type roster) | 07_analytical-vocabulary | 15 named organizational forms |
| G7 policy optima | g7-sme-ai-policy-pluralism | Market-led / State-coord. industrial / State-coord. soft-law / Federal-regional |
| Geopolitical blocs | digital-empires-tripartite | US market / China state / EU rights |
Usage rule
When naming a type from a taxonomy, capitalize it: “a Champion-tier SME,” “an Aggregator,” “a Taker.” Capitalization signals a defined term, not a generic descriptor. See 07_analytical-vocabulary for the full vocabulary discipline.
Related
- 07_analytical-vocabulary — canonical usage rules; the six-axis frame
- ecosystem-business-archetypes — Choudary’s four-archetype ecosystem taxonomy
- oecd-sme-adopter-taxonomy — OECD four-quadrant SME adopter taxonomy
- taker-shaper-maker — three-posture strategic taxonomy
- digital-empires-tripartite — geopolitical bloc taxonomy (Bradford)
- g7-sme-ai-policy-pluralism — four G7 SME-policy optima taxonomy
- H1_L0-L7-ladder — a ladder, not a taxonomy; autonomy levels have directionality
- H2_u-curve-of-value — a curve, not a taxonomy; positions are continuous