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…with fewer middle managers to serve as buffers between bosses and employees, bosses become more powerful.

Highly visible celebrity CEOs are unlikely to practice a hands-off management style, no matter what they tell journalists.

Not only is concentrated managerial power here to stay, but management authority has become even more essential than it was in earlier eras.

…flat management structures can induce more micro-management than vertical hierarchies.

The insight that leadership, authority, and hierarchy perform useful functions is as true today as it was in the days of important organization and management thinkers…

…management (and hence executive authority) is essential in two conditions that are the hallmarks of our modern economy: an emphasis on knowledge as the key competitive resource, and competition based on innovation.

A manager must convince employees that what they are doing is meaningful and appreciated.

Modularity drives down costs, allows for flexibility, and encourages innovation by making it easier to combine components, services, and ideas.

Managers should seek to balance… finding the blend between centralization and decentralization that works best in their situation.

…by supporting, enabling, and nurturing new products and services, new production methods, and entry into new markets, hierarchy can be good for innovation.