Final answer:
In flat and decentralized organizational structures, the role of a project manager is more of a coordinator or an expeditor, who facilitates communication and ensures project progression through collaboration and teamwork.
Step-by-step explanation:
In organizations where structures are flatter and more decentralized, the role of a project manager tends to lean more towards that of a coordinator or an expeditor. In such settings, a project manager often acts as a liaison between the team and upper management, facilitating communication and ensuring that projects stay on track. These project managers have less authority than they would in traditional hierarchical structures and need to rely heavily on collaboration and teamwork to accomplish their goals.
Contrastingly, in more traditional, hierarchical organizations, project managers may have more authority and control over project resources, making definitive decisions and steering the project more directly. The degree to which a project manager acts as a coordinator or tells people what to do usually depends on the formal authority granted by the organizational structure and the culture of the organization itself.