Z Score,T Score, Percential Rank and Box Plot Graph
Span of control & Chain of command
1. What does an Organization need to know about
Span of Control & Chain of Command
while devising its Organizational Structure ?
By
“The Organization Consultants”
2. Introduction
“Poor organizational design and structure results in a bewildering
morass of contradictions: confusion within roles, lack of co-ordination
among functions, failure to share ideas, and slow decision-making;
bringing managers unnecessary complexity, stress and conflict.”
Gill Corkindale
(Harvard Business Review - February 11, 2011)
An organizational structure describes how a company,
department or team is built; and how its various components
fit together.
Factors to tweak and arrange in order to build an
organizational structure are:
Chain of
Command
Span of Control
Centralization
Specialization
Formalization
Departmentation
3. Aim
To acquaint you with the importance of Span of Control with
a cursory reference to Chain of Command
Sequence
Chain of Command
Span of Control
Types of Span of Control
Deciding Factors – Span of Control
Conclusion
4. Chain of Command
An unbroken line of authority & responsibility that extends from top
of the organization all the way down to the bottom.
Chain of Command explains to every employee:
What exactly do you do?
Who reports to whom?
Whom should you consult in case of issues/problems?
ChainofCommand
5. Chain of Command
Alternative Explanation
Delegation and use of Authority & Responsibility
At every Level from Top to Bottom
Within an Organization
Types
6. Span of Control
Other terms used in lieu:-
Span of management
Span of supervision
Span of responsibility
Span of control refers to the number of subordinates a manager
can effectively manage.
The higher the ratio of subordinates to a manager, the wider the
span of control.
7. Wide Span of Control
Characteristics
Results in Flat Organizational Structure
Large number of employees or subordinates are managed by
one manager
8. Wide Span of Control
Merits
Enables taking quick decisions and actions
Fast and clear communication
Direct contact with subordinates is possible
Free from extra-strict supervision and control
Flat organization is economical
9. Wide Span of Control
Demerits
Requires exceptional quality of managers
Quality of performance may decline
Highly qualified and well experienced staff is needed
Tendency to overload manager makes him decision bottleneck
Close and informal relations may not be possible
Chances of manager’s loss of control
10. Narrow Span of Control
Characteristics
Results in Tall Organizational Structure
Necessitates relatively larger number of managers
Small number of employees report to one manager
11. Narrow Span of Control
Merits
Managerial efficiency is increased
Fast communication between subordinates and managers
More accountability
More authorized structure
Close supervisory control due to low span of managers
12. Narrow Span of Control
Demerits
Employees are less motivated
Less benefit and rewards for lower employees
Creates complexity in communication
Excessive distance between lowest and top level
Decision making is slow
More management levels are un-economical & time consuming
14. Deciding Factors – Span of Control
Capacity of Manager
• Problems solving, decision making, communication skills
& leadership traits
• Manager possessing such capacity can manage more
subordinates
Capacity of Subordinates
• Well trained & efficient subordinates do not need much
help from their manager, but broad guidelines only
Nature of Work
• A routine / repetitive job does not require any special
talent, as employees are well versed with it and vice
versa
Degree of Decentralization
• Subordinates not having enough authority frequently
consult the manager for clarifications
• Higher the degree of decentralization, wider the span of
control
15. Planning
• Deliberate standing plans enable the employees to work
without consulting the manager
• Planning reduces the burden of a manager and he can
have a wider span of control
Staff Assistance
• Staff can assist by collecting info, processing
communications etc
• Thus managers can save their time and the span of
control can be wider
Supervision from Others
• Parallel supervision by staff personnel enables the
manager to have a large number of subordinates under
him
Technique of Communication
• Face to face communication with each subordinate
consumes a lot of time
• Written communication through staff personnel saves
time
Deciding Factors – Span of Control
