Final answer:
Max Weber did not propose decentralization as a characteristic of bureaucracies; instead, his Weberian model emphasized hierarchy, specialization, explicit rules, and impersonality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Max Weber, a pioneer sociologist, proposed four key elements of bureaucracies that serve as a foundation for determining an appropriate structure. These elements include a hierarchy of authority, specialization of labor, explicit rules, and impersonality. The one element not associated with Weber's description of a bureaucracy from the given options is decentralization. Weber’s ideal bureaucracy, also known as the Weberian model, is characterized by his view that bureaucracies would attain a high level of efficiency, logical rules, and objectives through a centralized and formal organizational structure.