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Why hierarchies thrive.

Harold J Leavitt1

  • 1Stanford University, California, USA.

Harvard Business Review
|March 14, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Hierarchies are durable organizational structures that provide order and security, despite their authoritarian nature. This article examines their persistence and impact on communication within organizations.

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Area of Science:

  • Organizational Behavior
  • Sociology
  • Management Science

Background:

  • Hierarchies are often criticized for being cruel and inefficient, leading to searches for alternatives.
  • Despite criticism, hierarchies remain a fundamental structure in most large organizations due to their adaptability and perceived value.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a reality check on the persistence of hierarchies in organizations.
  • To explore the reasons behind the enduring nature of hierarchical structures.
  • To examine the impact of hierarchy's inherent authoritarianism on organizational communication.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of organizational structures.
  • Review of historical managerial movements and their integration into hierarchies.

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  • Examination of the psychological and practical value of hierarchies.
  • Analysis of communication dynamics within multilevel organizations.

    • Main Results:

    • Hierarchies have proven extraordinarily adaptive, integrating major managerial movements over 50 years.
    • Hierarchies fulfill deep-seated needs for order and security, providing practical and psychological value.
    • The inherent authoritarianism of hierarchies inevitably impacts organizational communication, leading to message distortion.

    Conclusions:

    • Hierarchies persist due to their adaptability, the order and security they provide, and their fulfillment of fundamental human needs.
    • Authoritarianism is an immutable element of hierarchy, significantly influencing communication flows and information integrity.
    • Understanding hierarchy's enduring nature and its communication implications is crucial for organizational effectiveness.