Down the Organization: Influence Processes Across Levels of Hierarchy.

June 1975, volume 20 The direction and form of influence processes across levels of hierarchy are empirically examined using two waves of data from 1,770 individuals in 246 groups representing 10 sites in four major industries. Results indicate the primacy of downward over upward influence and support a basic pattern of relations including the flow of major influence from indicators of group functioning-group processreported by members of superior-level groups to situational conditions-organizational climate-reported by members of subordinate-level groups. Time is identified as a crucial element in the description of linkages between socialpsychological factors across levels of hierarchy. Implications of the findings for the complexity of interlevel relations and the effect of the time lag upon development efforts are discussed.'