Information power is based upon the persuasiveness or content of a communication and is independent of the influencing individual. In most instances, supervisors do not need to offer incentives or threaten retribution to get employees to do what they request. They influence employees because the employees want to follow. This power to influence comes from the employee granting authority to the supervisor. Centralization versus Decentralization Centralization is the degree to which decision-making is concentrated in top management's hands.
Centralized organizations have more levels of management with narrow spans of control.
Employees are not free to make decisions. Decentralized organizations have fewer levels of management with wide spans of control giving employees more freedom of action. All other things being equal, a wide span of control is more efficient because it requires fewer managers. However, it is important to recognize that, at some point, effectiveness will decline. The current trend is toward broadening decentralization.