Model of Organizational Behavior in a Hierarchical Structure

Interaction between persons performing operational activities within hierarchical organizational structures depends upon their mutual perception. Since certain aspects of mutual perception are poorly measurable, it is required to apply simulation methods. The purpose of this study is to elaborate an agent-based model of the hierarchical structure involving persons, whose behavior is described in the concept of mutual perception previously formulated by the author, but also to carry out a simulation exercise that determines the correlation between mutual perception of agents and group productivity of operational activities. The simulation exercise also concluded that provisions of the concept of mutual perception within the hierarchy remain valid, namely, those stipulating that behavior of agents is consistent with phenomena specific to organizational behavior: if operational commands are being issued on the basis of mutually positive relationships between superiors and subordinates, group productivity increases. The tool developed (an agent-based model with its code and documents that are publicly available) can be used in further studies on organizational behavior within hierarchical structures. © 2020 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.