The Flow of Information through Organizations: Exploring Multilevel Theorizing and Future Directions

Abstract

The massive influx of information flowing through organizations has completely changed the landscape of work. The abundance of information offers both exciting and promising opportunities as well as creates workplaces that have become increasingly complex and difficult to navigate, presenting counterproductive and even harmful challenges. Therefore, how do (or should) individuals, teams, and organizations better process, harness, and influence the flow of information through hierarchies and other organizing structures? This question is especially relevant in the context of a greater push for transparency that we are seeing in society as well as in times of severe organizational uncertainty and instability (e.g., in light of the pandemic and its economic fallout)? In this moderated panel symposium, we seek to engage in meaningful discussion on how individuals, teams, and organizations can fully realize potentials and detriments of the increased information flow. Our symposium consists of a panel of five leading scholars -- Brandy Aven, Ethan Berstein, Nir Halevy, Markus Reitzig, and Daan van Knippenberg (in alphabetical order by last name) -- who hold diverse perspectives and who were chosen due to their expertise on this topic. This symposium will highlight important insights into the potential possibilities and issues confronting scholars on information flow and information management, which we hope will guide future organizational research.