Empowerment in business is participatory decision making and teamwork within organizations. Empowerment includes greater worker control, accountability, and, often, flexibility in scheduling, work hours, and prioritizing of tasks. Empowerment became a popular management concept in the United States during the 1990s. One story reported that in an empowered work environment, managers were called vision supporters. Empowerment is an alternative to hierarchical work environments, which many portray as places where bosses think they know more than they do and subordinates say what they think boss wants to hear, rather than saying what they believe is true. Hierarchical work environments discourage creativity and risk taking, essential to long-term growth and viability of the organization. MANAGEMENT consultants often advocate greater empowerment of workers. Managers frequently may say they encourage worker participation but instead fear and react against workers who suggest changes with which they are uncomfortable. Empowerment can also refer to improving the choices available to minority groups struggling for equal opportunity, both in the work environment and in society. In this context, empowerment refers to taking greater control of personal decision making.