The Importance of Knowledge in Productivity

The product could be the firm is the sum total of all the little things that happen. People lower in the organization at least know about particular things that are happening in particular places. But it's not obvious to me that their knowledge has more to do with the productivity of the firm than the higher level people's knowledge. And so there's so per question, surely some things higher level managers do are important for the overall effect of the storm but then other things they do are more about their private gain in fighting.