An Assertion Model consists of a network of Assertions and Connections (sometimes called a Graph)
Describing a business endeavour as a network is more powerful than fitting it into a set of linear concepts or a hierarchy.
The communication between Authorities(the decision makers) in an organization is a mandatory concept in describing the business.
Communication between Authorities who make their decisions in the same Environment is much simpler than between Environments.
There is a logical coherence between Authorities who work in the same environment and derive their authority from a single Authority.
In an expressed Assertion Network it is possible to collect a set of Assertions with this single coherence and define it as a Perspective.
With strong coherence, Connections within the Perspective are more numerous than outside the perspective. And a model can be queried to show the incoming and outgoing information.
This approach allows responsibilities to be defined, and the interactions ( a context diagram) outside the perspective to be identified.
Thus a black box concept can be supported. If an Business person is an Authority or accountable for a number of Authorities, then they can make changes within the Perspective and provided they satisfy the input and outputs they can meet their obligations.
This means that an executive assistant need only reveal information to the boss that is required, filtering to meet broader success criteria.
So AM provides a way to describe organizations that may be outside the strict organization chart. And it can show the information flows between Business Units that implies an information supply responsibility that should (but might not) be represented as documented responsibilities.
In an AM there may be statements that define this information delivery. This may be articulated as a summary and classification of the information (franchisees must report sales) , or of an expected state of affairs (a franchisee reports substandard sales, for example).
A key measure of the network description of business is the opportunity to recognize and implement feedback information loops.
The information included in a monthly report may justify an increased resources statement that informs decisions that result in an improved monthly report.
This network (or graphical) perspective is inherent in AM and supports an organigraph way of describing business.