Structural Determinants of Individual Behavior in Organizations

A new way of looking at organizational structure and its effects on the attitudes and behavior of those within the organization is presented.' Measures are generated which reflect an individual's position in the structure in terms of variables that are applicable to all groups and organizations. These include status, influence, and the direct and indirect linkages between persons in a network of interactions. Empirical results are presented which show that these measures are significantly related among themselves, to characteristics of interpersonal relationships, and to measures of attitudes and job behavior. The theoretical and practical implications of these data are discussed.