Information in Chinese contexts flows through hierarchies with selective distribution both downward and upward. Those in senior positions hold information that junior levels don’t automatically access; superiors decide what their teams need to know and when. This isn’t power hoarding—it’s appropriate matching of information to responsibility. Information also flows upward selectively: subordinates decide what to report, how to frame it, and when.
Not everything escalates; judgment and filtering occur at each level. This creates information gradients where access correlates with position—broader access signals higher standing, restricted access signals limited position. Individuals who control information flow between levels or across organizational units hold structural influence regardless of formal title.
Comments