This paper presents background on a non-hierarchical organizational perspective. In addition, it presents guidelines for using a non-hierarchical perspective to create generally acceptable forms of international organizations. The theory on which the non-hierarchical perspective is based maintains that a form of comprehensive global planning without centralized authority will contribute toward more peaceful means of conflict resolution. The hypothesis is that international organizations created along non-hierarchical lines will help alleviate global fears which currently motivate many nations to prefer disorganization to membership in any sort of international organization with the 'wrong people' in charge. Following an overview of limitations of existing political and organizational theories, the paper explains why a non-centralized form of international organization might be successful in solving world problems such as food allocation, regulation of the production and sale of resources, and development of infrastructures to deal with the current global level of economic interdependence. Reasons for this potential success include that national operatives in inter-governmental organizations can function with relative freedom as compared to government representatives working in a bilateral diplomatic situation, and that recent increased emphasis on interaction and consenses among bureaucrats (rather than political representatives) can serve as the beginning of a non-hierarchical communications channel. The conclusion is that national policy makers will be able to create viable international organizations if they stress non-centralized global policy planning. (DB)