Parts of bureaucratic process are switched, becoming less extensive (7)
I believe the answer is:
tapered
'extensive' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for tapered that I've seen before include "Narrowed by red tape" , "Narrowed to a point" , "Gradually narrowing" , "Reducing to a final point" , "Became gradually narrower as candle may" .)