> I just ask about what the person consider the most effective structure for a table to hold this hierarchy.


Martin;

The correct answer to any question is the one the person asking the question is willing to accept. If a question is communicated clearly it should be answered in a similar manner. If a question is not clear it should be qualified.

Is this a requirement to solve a one time problem quickly or might this be expected to expand?

You might receive an answer based upon one of Codds many relational concepts. Do you want first, second or third order? Codd has since come out with q paper discussing something on the order of 80 different relationships. Purely academic and not for the real world.

You have used the term “a table”(indefinite object, singular from) and hierarchy in the same sentence. Therefore, you obviously want one table and Codd is out! Looks like we have a flat file. That could take several forms. One would be two fields with one entry for each employee and the second field for the person you report to. I will not get into primary keys, etc.

My point is that the person asking the question may think the answer is simple and obvious but in fact that may not be the case. We can be practical or academic in such matters. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Now, we must first agree upon what a cat is! Is it a house cat, a man, a tiger or lion? Your cat may not be the same as mine thus the need for qualification.

Tom