In a decentralized organizational model, lower-level personnel given decision-making authority are:

• A. Able to set organizational policy for a specific area
• B. Limited to only those tasks for which they were given authority
• C. Restricted to skip level notifications if unity of command is broken
• D. Responsible for establishing review systems to avoid duplication of effort

Answer: (B)

In a decentralized model, decision-making authority is pushed down to those closest to the work, but it is clearly bounded by what is specifically granted to each role. This means personnel can make decisions only within the tasks and responsibilities they have been authorized to handle; they are not empowered to set organizational policy, or to take on duties outside their approved scope, or to bypass established command channels. The strength of this setup is rapid, locally appropriate decision-making while preserving accountability and alignment with broader organizational goals. Policies and policy-setting remain at higher levels, while approving or changing policy, bypassing supervision, or taking on cross-cutting coordination tasks goes beyond the delegated authority.