To centralize or decentralize communications?

For 20 years I've watched organizations (corporations and agencies) wrestle with a near constant tension between centralizing and decentralizing PR teams, not to mention business development responsibilities and even decision-making authority. As a self-declared student of pendulum swings in business, this one fascinates me.

In some cases, the tension increases due to leadership changes. For example, a new director of communications at a highly decentralized company may have hailed from another business where communications control and decision-making authority were completely centralized — product teams channeled up through the corporate function and were beholden to corporate leaders for direction and guidance both in the moment and over the long term.  

What is the right foot forward in this situation? In many cases, fearless directors of communications would muscle their new organization into what they know best, which in this example is centralized communications. Will this take the new organization by storm and create a completely new and more productive rhythm of business? Possible, but not likely. Human nature tells us that resistance is certain (if futile).

I would argue that the best course forward is the one that leverages the leadership strengths (or mitigates the leadership weaknesses) of the existing organization. If there are strong leaders in the business units, decentralize. If you have an extremely engaged and communications-focused CEO, centralized might be the path of least resistance and highest productivity.

Perhaps the pendulum swing is inevitable, reflective of business evolution and even budget. But if we follow the leaders, we'll weather the swing and organize in a way that taps the organic strength of the organization.

Jenny Moede is EVP, North America at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide.

Centralization And Decentralization Of Organization - News


To centralize or decentralize communications?
To centralize or decentralize communications?

For 20 years I've watched organizations (corporations and agencies) wrestle with a near constant tension between centralizing and decentralizing PR teams, not to mention business development responsibilities and even decision-making authority.



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that "human rights organizations should be involved in the rehabilitation and training of law-enforcement personnel, both administrative and security cadres daily institutional relations of cooperation, both centralized and decentralized,



The trouble with 'decisive' leadership

"Any large organization faces a basic dilemma between centralization and decentralization," writes Harford. Some centralization is inevitable. And necessary. But as the legendary economist Friedrich Hayek observed in 1945, no matter how efficient a



Opinion: Egypt's Second Grassroots Resurgence
Opinion: Egypt's Second Grassroots Resurgence

Centralization's cumulative effects make it a main contributor to stratifying Egyptian society along economic, gender, regional, and sectarian lines. Egypt can decentralize authority and catalyze democracy-building and human development by passing the



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There is no single governance style that is correct for all organizations. Each must strive to find a balance between centralization and decentralization, between rigidity and flexibility, and between its existing culture and its ability to adapt to




A Combination Of Centralization And Decentralization | Custom ...

These days, the two most significant concepts of business management are Centralization and Decentralization. No corporation is completely centralized or decentralized. Each has its own positives and negatives, based on some principal factors. A completely decentralized organization will cease the existence and significance of its senior most executives in the hierarchy of directorial systems. Whereas, a completely centralized organization with all its pre-eminence, bureaucracy and control will not be successful in formulating a formal organization.

Both these concepts should be treated as relative and not extreme concepts. In other words, any corporation cannot be totally centralized or totally de-centralized. Both have individual characteristics that when put to effect together would function effectively. For example, a few organizations couldn’t run effectively with just centralizing the company i.e., if all authorizations were to be made only by a selected panel of top managers; nor could it do with just decentralizing i.e. if all authorizations were entrusted to the least level in the hierarchy. Hence, any company of any size would demand the application of a combination of both these concepts in a relative manner. Both centralization and decentralization concepts involve a variety of training strategies and methodologies.

Let’s identify the difference in results on both collective and individual application of the two methods.

Thus, instead of being judgmental on whether or not to implement centralized or decentralized approach, an organization should craft different strategies that have a combination of the two, in order to prove beneficial to the organization. And the most incredible phase faced while blending the two concepts is that the organization does not require giving a face-lift to its structure.

Do share your thoughts on the same.


Centralization And Decentralization Of Organization - Bookshelf

Understanding Management

Understanding Management

Managers should diagnose the organizational situation and select the ... Factors that typically influence centralization versus decentralization are as ...

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science

Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science

The local organization of England has undergone such important changes during ... in 1834 * " Administrative Centralization and Decentralization in England. ...

Public Administration in America

Public Administration in America

Centralization and Decentralization centralization an organizational pattern focused on concentrating power at the top of an organization. decentralization ...

Essentials of Management

Essentials of Management

Centralization is the extent to which authority is retained at the top of the organization. Decentralization and centralization ...

Handbook of political science

Handbook of political science

CENTRALIZATION AND DECENTRALIZATION IN ORGANIZATION Centralization and its obverse, decentralization, have always been a leading concern in debates about ...

Gold Information Directory


Decentralization - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Decentralization or decentralisation (see spelling differences) is the process of ... Decentralization and centralization have played major roles in the history of many ...

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Centralization and decentralization are two very important concept of managing. No organization is cent percent centralized or cent percent decentralized. ...

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Our manufacturing company (1200 employees – and a subsidiary of a major global organization) is considering centralization of certain divisions. ...