  We present a theoretical framework and a calculational scheme to study the
coexistence and competition of thermodynamic phases in quantum statistical
mechanics. The crux of the method is the realization that the microscopic
Hamiltonian, modeling the system, can always be written in a hierarchical
operator language that unveils all symmetry generators of the problem and,
thus, possible thermodynamic phases. In general one cannot compute the
thermodynamic or zero-temperature properties exactly and an approximate scheme
named ``hierarchical mean-field approach'' is introduced. This approach treats
all possible competing orders on an equal footing. We illustrate the
methodology by determining the phase diagram and quantum critical point of a
bosonic lattice model which displays coexistence and competition between
antiferromagnetism and superfluidity.
