Organization: Hierarchy's Bad Rap

Today's conventional wisdom says that hierarchy is inherently bad. Recent evidence suggests that many organizational structures are excessively layered and autocratically managed. We are led to believe that individual motivation and group initiative have been stifled and that cross‐functional fiefdoms of Byzantine proportions have been created. These signs and symptoms of “bureausclerosis” are felt to be at the root of the inefficiencies in work systems and corporations. In particular, CEOs are increasingly frustrated by their inability to depend on their people to implement their strategic intentions reliably and effectively.