Final answer:
Decentralized decision-making generally offers increased flexibility, lower costs due to less bureaucracy, better motivation, and reduced overload of information. However, easier coordination of functions is not a benefit and can present more challenges, making option A the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
When decision-making responsibilities are decentralized, the benefits typically include flexibility in decision making, lower bureaucratic costs from a flattened hierarchy, increased motivation and accountability, and reduced information overload.
However, regarding the options provided: a. easier coordination of functions is not a benefit of decentralized decision-making. In fact, decentralized decision-making can sometimes lead to challenges in coordination as different parts of the organization may make decisions that are not fully aligned with one another.
Option A is the correct choice as it does not represent a benefit of decentralizing decision-making responsibilities. Conversely, the other options (b. flexibility in decision making, c. lower bureaucratic costs from flattened hierarchy, d. increased motivation and accountability, e. reduced information overload) are indeed among the benefits that can be realized when power is shifted away from a central authority.