A characteristic of decentralized organizations is that they:

Decentralized organizations are designed to distribute authority and decision-making closer to the operational level, allowing individual departments or units greater autonomy. This structure encourages employee empowerment because staff members are given the authority to make decisions relevant to their specific roles and teams. By fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility, decentralized organizations can motivate employees, leading to increased job satisfaction and engagement, which can enhance overall organizational performance.

The other characteristics of decentralized organizations help to create an environment that necessitates or complements this empowerment. For example, while having slower decision-making processes may be perceived in some contexts, the key feature is that empowerment leads to faster decisions where individuals closest to the issue can act promptly. Similarly, although decentralization can lead to certain efficiencies, it's not inherently more cost-effective; this can depend on the specific context and management structure in place. Additionally, standardization is generally characteristic of centralized organizations, where uniformity can be more easily maintained across departments. Therefore, promoting employee empowerment stands out as the core characteristic of decentralized organizations.