This PR piece is utterly misleading. CERN copied and implemented matrix management, essentially what drove NASA JPL to the ground (ask Ron Garret, lisper). For a hint on NASA's future (not talking of the military) recall the name of the new space telescope. SLAC essentially closed down along with most other labs.

Those who are at the receiving end of the job delegation process report to several managers, none of whom need to take responsibility. Therefore only the one who reports can take hits, as in hightail (see win-win analysis of The Office on ribbonfarm). Obviously success is management's success, not least of the DG.

CERN management proper on the other hand is a tightly knit group (not talking about external contributors, “users” in CERN parlance) with the same level of transparency that need-to-know mechanisms allow for. There are even line-managers and the whole lot. Gianotti was earmarked for leadership position two or three decades ago and has been at CERN since her early twenties. Her external institute affiliation is just a mere formality in the sense that Italy has financially contributed to the CERN budget.

Make no mistake: there is a chain of command, but one that is heavily concealed behind a thick layer of administration (see ribbonfarm) protecting management. There are whole departments and groups devoted to implement the five questions you are wondering about.