Because there are so many layers in a business hierarchy - from the operatives to the supervisors, right the way up to the floor managers and stakeholders - channels of communication are of great importance to maximize efficiency and productivity. Normally, messages travel through each layer of the hierarchical system before reaching their destination, and this means it can sometimes take a long time for information to pass through the different levels that make up a large business.
Unfortunately, because messages have to travel such a long way before they reach the top levels of a company where the people with the necessary power to act upon them are situated, they can easily become warped and muddled along the way. This is why flat hierarchical patterns of communication are often favored - particularly by smaller companies who have less staff working for them.
In a flat system there are fewer layers, which means messages travel more quickly from those at the bottom of the hierarchy to those at the very top. Naturally, this is a more efficient method of communication and saves a great deal of time so that appropriate actions can be taken without too much hesitation. Because the message travels through less people, there's also less chance of it being changed or misinterpreted by the people at the very top of the business ladder.
One drawback of using a flat communication system as opposed to a more expansive one is that there are less people to develop ideas and make their own contributions along the way. Because flat systems are generally more direct, they pass through fewer levels of development. Some of the very best innovations and business ideas come as a result of many different ideas coming together in one ultimate form, so some companies may prefer to employ a longer communication system to reap the rewards of having access to a wider pool of ideas.
Unfortunately, because messages have to travel such a long way before they reach the top levels of a company where the people with the necessary power to act upon them are situated, they can easily become warped and muddled along the way. This is why flat hierarchical patterns of communication are often favored - particularly by smaller companies who have less staff working for them.
In a flat system there are fewer layers, which means messages travel more quickly from those at the bottom of the hierarchy to those at the very top. Naturally, this is a more efficient method of communication and saves a great deal of time so that appropriate actions can be taken without too much hesitation. Because the message travels through less people, there's also less chance of it being changed or misinterpreted by the people at the very top of the business ladder.
One drawback of using a flat communication system as opposed to a more expansive one is that there are less people to develop ideas and make their own contributions along the way. Because flat systems are generally more direct, they pass through fewer levels of development. Some of the very best innovations and business ideas come as a result of many different ideas coming together in one ultimate form, so some companies may prefer to employ a longer communication system to reap the rewards of having access to a wider pool of ideas.
