In an organizational structure, "chain of command" refers to a company's hierarchy of reporting relationships -- from the bottom to the top of an organization, who must answer to whom.

Basic Training Chain of Command. Everyone in the military has a chain of command. The chain of command is used to issue orders (downward) and to ask for clarification and resolve problems (upward).

The chain of command establishes the company hierarchy. Business owners or CEOs occupy the top position in a company hierarchy, which is also the top spot in a chain of command.

A chain of command is a formal, structured communication technique used to resolve patient safety issues. Through this process, care team members can escalate a concern through leadership levels ...