[Stronico]

I've found "How centralized is decision making in the company?" to be illuminating. The specific answer doesn't matter, but it probably hasn't been asked before and the answerer will have to think about the answer. If they give an easy, enthusiastic answer, that is a good sign - if they give a slow convoluted corporate speak answer that is a bad sign.

[pc86]

This is a great question I hadn't thought of before.

As I think about it, it might not even matter much what the answer is - outside of personal preference, of course. Clear decision-makers can be good. Having a lot of autonomy can be good. Not being sure if you're allowed to do X or not, or even who to ask about it, never is.

[caminante]

> The specific answer doesn't matter...

I disagree with some nuance, but generally agree.

For large, multi-geography firms, I want to know and work WHERE the central pockets of power are located.

[ChrisRR]

This became at a game at one of my old workplaces.

The company was in the business of buying up smaller companies, and naturally every manager wanted to stay a manager. So there was like 8 layers of management.

If we asked for money, time or resources we would take guesses as to how far up the chain it would get before it got rejected.

And it SO often got rejected, because a random manager was feeling less important and wanted to assert their power they used to have.

[JoshuaRowe]

Yes. I think this is a great one. Teams should make decisions together. Every time there has been grumblings about a decision made at places I've worked, it has been made without input. Sometimes people will not like something regardless, but at least they would have got a chance to let their voice be heard if decision making is shared.