How are costs reduced when decision- making is centralized in corporate management?
Answers
Answer:
activities involving planning and decision-making within an organization are concentrated to a specific leader or location. In a centralized organization, the decision-making powers are retained in the head office, and all other offices receive commands from the main office. The executives and specialists who make critical decisions are based in the head office.
Centralization
Similarly, in a centralized government structure, the decision-making authority is concentrated at the top, and all other lower levels follow the directions coming from the top of the organization structure.
Advantages of Centralization
An effective centralization offers the following advantages:
1. A clear chain of command
A centralized organization benefits from a clear chain of command because every person within the organization knows who to report to. Junior employees know who to approach whenever they have concerns about the organization. On the other hand, senior executives follow a clear plan of delegating authority to employees who excel in specific functions. The executives also gain the confidence that when they delegate responsibilities to mid-level managers and other employees, there will be no overlap. A clear chain of command is beneficial when the organization needs to execute decisions quickly and in a unified manner.
2. Focused vision
When an organization follows a centralized management structure, it can focus on the fulfillment of its vision with ease. There are clear lines of communication and the senior executive can communicate the organization’s vision to employees and guide them toward the achievement of the vision. In the absence of centralized management, there will be inconsistencies in relaying the message to employees because there are no clear lines of authority. Directing the organization’s vision from the top allows for a smooth implementation of its visions and strategies. The organization’s stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, and communities also receive a uniform message.
3. Reduced costs
A centralized organization adheres to standard procedures and methods that guide the organization, which helps reduce office and administrative costs. The main decision-makers are housed at the company’s head office or headquarters, and therefore, there is no need for deploying more departments and equipment to other branches. Also, the organization does not need to incur extra costs to hire specialists for its branches since critical decisions are made at the head office and then communicated to the branches. The clear chain of command reduces duplication of responsibilities that may result in additional costs to the organization.
4. Quick implementation of decisions
In a centralized organization, decisions are made by a small group of people and then communicated to the lower-level managers. The involvement of only a few people makes the decision-making process more efficient since they can discuss the details of each decision in one meeting. The decisions are then communicated to the lower levels of the organization for implementation. If lower-level managers are involved in the decision-making process, the process will take longer and conflicts will arise. That will make the implementation process lengthy and complicated because some managers may object to the decisions if their input is ignored.
5. Improved quality of work
The standardized procedures and better supervision in a centralized organization result in improved quality of work. There are supervisors in each department who ensure that the outputs are uniform and of high quality. The use of advanced equipment reduces potential wastage from manual work and also helps guarantee high-quality work. Standardization of work also reduces the replication of tasks that may result in high labor costs.