Flattening Organizations

Synonyms

Decentralized organization; Flat hierarchy; Flat organization; Horizontal organization

Definition

An organizational structure with few or no middle managers that typically uses decentralized decision-making.

Introduction

All public administrative agencies have some form of structure or hierarchy that determines the interactions within the agency. Traditional bureaucracies, since first discussed by Max Weber, champion a clear hierarchical structure with an emphasis on the vertical relationships. However, there has been a recent push for agencies to adopt a more flattened or horizontal organizational structure with roles that are not as clearly defined. A flattened organization means there are few or no levels of management between employees and administrators at the top with all or most employees being viewed as on the same level. Organizations that choose this format generally use a decentralized decision-making process, since there are few or no middle managers. It is...