Linking micro and macro-level processes: Interaction analysis in context

In this article, I address connections between processes at the micro (e.g., negotiation) and macro or contextual levels of analysis. The discussion situates process analysis in the broader settings in which the interactions take place. The first major section shows how various contextual factors may influence micro-level processes. These factors include events, structures or institutions, and cultures. In the second major section, I consider the ways that small-group processes may influence the macro-level context. Societal (organizational, international) changes may result from such processes as those that occur in problem-solving workshops, educational exchanges, and formal negotiations, including the objectives sought and strategies used, the tone and content of rhetoric displayed, and the formats and procedures devised. The article concludes with a way to conceptualize the linkages between processes and structures at the different levels.