Which term describes the formal line of authority through which orders and information flow within an organization?

• A. Bureaucracy
• B. Chain of Command
• C. Local Control
• D. National Institute of Justice

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is the formal path of authority through which orders and information travel within an organization—the chain of command. It maps who reports to whom and defines the routes for directives to move from leaders down to frontline staff, while feedback and information travel upward through the same structured channels. This arrangement brings clarity, coordination, and accountability: everyone knows who has decision-making authority, who needs to approve actions, and where to escalate problems.

Bureaucracy refers to the broader administrative system with standardized rules, procedures, and specialized roles, which describes how work is organized rather than the exact flow of orders. Local control concerns authority being delegated to local units or levels, implying decentralization rather than the universal rule of the command path. The National Institute of Justice is a federal agency, not a concept about internal command structure.