ABSTRACT
The subsidiarity — the taking of decisions at the lowest possible level — is commended as enabling flexibility, adaptation to specific local conditions and making best use of employees’ expertise. In short, the answer is that subsidiarity is a contingent issue; it depends on what the decision is and the context. The management literature associates autonomy with job satisfaction, reduced stress, performance and motivation, especially amongst knowledge workers. The demand–side complexity of the business was also seen as favouring subsidiarity. The magnitude and longevity of risk also pushes Life Science Leaders towards retention of decision making and away from subsidiarity. The two–stage craft of contingency: firstly, melding together various factors to decide the level of subsidiarity appropriate to each kind of decision, and secondly, taking steps to mitigate the risk that subsidiarity brings as the price for flexibility. The expert workforce and some aspects of complexity push decision making downwards towards subsidiarity.
