Hierarchy Struggles: A Multistudy Examination of its Types

Abstract

Social hierarchies in groups and organizations may at times be sources of contention - individuals lower on the ladder may struggle to improve their rank and those at the top may struggle to maintain their rank. These struggles can be functional if they result in a more effective and accepted social hierarchy, but they can also be severely debilitating, especially when competitions between team members distract them from task accomplishment and team and organizational goals. Initial research has offered insight into the effects of different forms of hierarchical struggles on team outcomes. However, a clear understanding of the types of hierarchy struggles in organizations is lacking. To this end, we conducted a qualitative study of Dutch politicians to explore what drives them to compete for more influence within their teams. Our results suggest that three distinct forms of hierarchical struggles exist - power, status, and leadership struggles. We then present two empirical construct validation studies, which provide support for the validity of this tri- partite view of hierarchical struggles in organizations. Together these studies contribute to research on social hierarchy, conflict and competition, and leadership.