Decisions and Non-Decisions: A Pragmatic View of Power, Structure, and Culture in Complex Organizations

This book explores decision-making and the creation of a culture of non-decision in complex organizations. Considered part of the decision-making process, this book addresses the role of power, structure and ethics of individual leaders and the impact on organizational culture. An authoritarian leader can suppress contributions while an indecisive leader can develop a culture of ambiguity in an organization. The book looks at the reality, and the consequences, of both extremes and considers the space in between. Both historical and current theories and ideas are described and discussed. Several leaders are interviewed contributing their lived experiences in the realm of decision-making and leadership. They describe experiences in organizations from their perspective as leaders between subordinates and more senior leaders within the organizational hierarchy. The book addresses ways key decision-makers use power, manage culture, and create structures to make decisions. The optimal structure for effective decision-making is explored. Finally, the author considers how a culture of non-decision occurs. In recent years, some organizations have attempted to reduce or eliminate the traditional hierarchical structure in favor of a flatter structure with fewer layers and more collaborative decision making. These efforts are compared to historical business structures.