Staff authority refers to advising the people with line authority for better results. Line organization refers to that organization in which the authority flows from top to down in a vertical manner and not in a horizontal manner. Since they are to take decisions with regard to every aspect of business, the quality of decisions may suffer. Hence, nobody is escaped from the responsibility. In the words of J.M. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 5. Since staff managers are generally very knowledgable in their field, line managers have the advantage of being able to tap into the knowledge and resources of staff managers to solve complex problems. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 4. (iii) There is clear-cut identification of authority and responsibility relationship. Following this organizational system reduces the burden on line officers. Plagiarism Prevention 5. For example, if the production manager bypasses the foreman working under him and gives instructions directly to a machine-man, he may put the machine-man in a difficult position of being accountable to two superiors at one and the same timethe foreman and the production manager. 3. If the top executives are not capable, the enterprise will not be successful. They are willing to adopt a dictatorial approach. 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Each unit is placed under a commander and his word is final as far as his subordinates are concerned. There is no provision for growth and development. It is the oldest form of organization. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Line organization is simple to design, understand and operate. A person receives orders only from his immediate boss. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that youve provided to them or that theyve collected from your use of their services. There is a likelihood that some persons may be given favours and deserving persons, on the other hand, may be ignored. Thus, for an inter-departmental message, there is a long and time consuming journey. Although an executive can delegate authority, he has ultimate responsibility for results. Advantages and Disadvantages of Line Organization Advantages are: 1. Instability: As the success of the system mainly depends upon the ability of one or two persons, the whole organization shall upset and collapse if they leave the enterprise. Although there is communication from top to bottom there is usually no communication from the lower ranks to higher ranks and executives. In a line organization, the responsibility for the performance of tasks is fixed upon definite individuals. Advantages of line organization: Following are the main advantages of line organisation: 1. Manage Settings Specialized employees help the line staff in processes by offering expert advice. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Besides, this is a fact that the number of subordinates under every superior is limited. For example, the owner of a small business acts as the leader or manager of inline systems. Is working for a manufacturing company right for you? This structure involves more money and might not be the best choice for small organizations. Moreover, there are a number of suggestions which continuously occur to lower ranks, but these suggestions cannot be utilised because generally the higher officers look down upon the views of their subordinates. The limits of authority of both line and staff should be prescribed clearly. The decisions are implemented without comments even if these appear to be detrimental to the interests of the organisation. Many jobs require specialized knowledge to perform them. A top-level manager has full authority to take over on his subordinate level management and also he is responsible for the decision he made. This organisation is a vertical structure where one person delegates authority to his subordinate and who in turn delegates to his subordinate and so on. His task is challenging and he is expected to discharge his responsibility in an efficient way. The concept of line organization holds that in any organization derived from a scalar process, there must be a single head who commands it. Line-staff organization, in management, approach in which authorities Since the departmental head has to look after all the activities of his department, he is over burdened with work. In this way, responsibility is easily fixed. Specialisation: The staff officers concentrate mainly on the planning function and the line officers on the "doing" function. (iii) Line officers are slow to accept new ideas and they resist change. The subordinates have no doubt regarding the person from whom they receive instructions. Find out more about aline organizational structurewith examples. Unified Control- Since the orders are given by one superior, there is no confusion among the subordinates. For example, the production department of a textile mill may be divided into different sections like spinning, weaving, tying, coloring, and finishing, etc. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. For this reason, it is given the name line organization. The higher management can help improve line and staff structure by well-defined job roles and considering suggestions of functional officers. Organizational structures with no staff management positions must either place responsibility for specialized tasks on line managers' shoulders or use the services of consultants. This ensures better understanding and quick action. The clarity of authority and tasks within the company introduces discipline. 2. Thus, in the production department, there may be a number of foremen each having a number of workers under him. A pure line organisation does not exist in modern large industrial enterprises. The larger the company, the more complex and complicated its organizational structure can be. The simple organization is adjustable according to the changing business environment. Line and staff structure is adapted by medium to large organizations with several employees. It means the staff authority may work to facilitate the process in line control. They have staff wings like intelligence, medical and so on. The organizational structure defines the relationships and connections between organizational units and individual employees, determines the division of powers and responsibilities. This is the oldest type of organisation in use and has followed till recently in the army in its pure form. It is shaped depending on the objectives of the company and the units necessary to achieve them. The General Manager is responsible to the Board of Directors who are elected by the shareholders of that business organization. Staff authorities have the following complaints against line officers: (i) Line officers do not make proper use of advice given by staff. He lost his job after the pandemic and took initiative to make a team and start the project. An advantage of a line-and-staff organization is the availability of technical specialists. Improving Line and Staff Relationship 1. Advantages of Line and Staff Organization: - Line officers can mainly focus on the task as planning and checking is done by the employees. Line or Military Organization: Structure, Features, Characteristics, Merits, Demerits, Suitability and Branches, With Features, Conditions for Success, Merits, Demerits and Suitability, Hierarchy of Authority Levels, Branches of Line Organisation, Merits, Demerits and Suitability of Line Organisation, Flow of Authority from Top to Bottom; Accountability of Each Subordinate, Department Managers Function Independently of One Another, Subordinates can only Approach Immediate Superior, (2) Clear Division of Authority and Responsibility, Line managers are required to both plan and execute the tasks and duties assigned to them. Required fields are marked *. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). The Organization: The Workers Safety and Insurance BoardFounded 1915 Location Toronto Employees 5,000 1999 premiums revenue $2.7 million 1999 benefits . They are only required to do as told to them by respective managers. Every employee is responsible to his immediate superior. Everything you need to know about the line organisational . 4. Economical Disadvantages are: 1. They perform all types of works of creative and innovative nature. List of the Advantages of a Line of Credit. to improve overall organization performance. Each foreman is supposed to take his orders from the production manager and is accountable to him for planning and execution of the work assigned to him. Span of control Development of Executives: This system offers more opportunities to the executives for training and development. Identification of Authority and Responsibility: . It is also easy to explain to the workers. 3. Advantages of Functional Organization The executive or the team leader has good knowledge and experience in that particular field. The top-level manager can control the entire organization through the hierarchy of authority. For instance, a senior manager can discuss ideas and goals with a chief supervisor. Every person is in charge of all the persons under him and he himself is accountable to his superior only. And because the army is known to be organized on the same pattern, it is also called military organization.. 1. Every person is accountable to only one person i.e. For example, human resources, accounting, public relations and the legal . 1. Reduce energy Expenses - Under the triple bottom line method, the organizations are encouraged to use renewable energy. This can be effective when organizations are short on time. [Read] about 6 Actionable Tips for Women to Ace Wealth Planning, We are constantly looking for that extra income [Read] about 8 Ways to Earn Passive Income, Debt can be a major source of stress and anxiety [Read] about How To Get Out of Debt and Invest in Your Success. Line managers plan, and staff helps in execution and betterment. One of the ways they cooperate is through networking. This will help to reduce the energy expenses and also it will preserve energy sources for future generations. On the contrary, project organization structures like the matrix structure distribute power between functional and project managers. In spite of these drawbacks, the line organisation structure is very popular particularly in small organisations where there are less number of levels of authority and a small number of people. (iv) There is scalar chain in line organization. This type is also known as scalar organisation. Heres a breakdown of the power in each. The staff personnel does not supervise the line officers. Line personnel command the workers and give feedback. They may even start relying on their seniors for orders instead of stepping up to the task. 4. For this purpose, a department head is appointed for each department. (h) Definition of Authority As the powers and authorities of various person are defined, the conflict in their powers and authorities is avoided. (ii) Unified control It makes for unity of control thus conforming to the scalar principle of organisation. The chain of command goes from top to bottom. Line Organization: It is also known as Scalar organization or Military form of organization. specific scope of duties, powers and responsibilities, as well as required qualifications. The line and staff officers perform their functions smoothly through better coordination and cooperation. The line managers have the following to say about the staff people: (i) Staff authority undermines line authority and interferes in the work of line managers. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". All the departmental managers enjoy equal status and work independently. Under this structure, there is a direct line of authority from the superior to the subordinate level through an unbroken chain. Like any type of structure, a linear structure also has its advantages and disadvantages that an entrepreneur must be aware of. Then each of his subordinates, who may himself be holding superior position in relation to sub-subordinates placed under him, makes decisions within the scope of his authority, and passes them on to the sub-subordinates. Line organisation suffers from lack of specialised skill of experts. iii. They are expected to take numerous decisions and supervise the work of subordinates under them. It explains the tasks of every worker in an organization. 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Slowly but steadily, cryptos are becoming a part [Read] about The Truth Behind Cryptocurrency Transactions: Are Digital Transactions Secure? It will encourage others to follow the same path. Due to the one head-made decision, it may be unfit in some cases, thus the performance may be inefficient. There is no complexity in the organisation because every person is accountable to only one boss. This is a very simple organizational structure to understand and manage due to the implementation of the scalar chain of command (formal line of authority which moves from highest to lowest rank in a straight line). In simple words when you are driving a car and the brake of the car is not working then you know that it is you who has to handle this situation as you are in the driver seat a and you cannot escape the situation in the same way in case of line organization the top management has to face and solve the problems as they cannot rely on others for solving the problem. Demerits 5. (d) Scope for favouritism There may be a good deal of nepotism and jobbery. Flexibility 6. Line officers take their own decisions without looking to specialised personnel. 2. The number of subordinates should be such that they are properly supervised. A group of employees is controlled by one individual. If the top. Polska 114 60-401 Pozna bluewhale-press.com. The general manager is in charge of all the departments and he can easily co-ordinate the work of various departments. ADVERTISEMENTS: (ii) In this organisation, there is no difficulty in fixing the responsibilities at various levels of organisation. 8. The flow of orders, communication of suggestions and complaints etc. But as between one foreman and another, there is no formal line of authority or responsibility. Theyre fully-aware of their responsibilities which helps them complete their tasks on their own. A line function is one that directly advances an organization in its core work. These are issues that are vital to the company's success, but which do not require a large work group to accomplish. Line organization enables the staff to work more toward the execution of tasks. Classical theories of organization associated with Henri Fayol, Frederick W . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Further, if superiors were to make a wrong decision, it would still be carried out, because the subordinates are afraid of pointing out that the decision is wrong. Image: Departmental line organization chart. The line managers may sometimes ignore the advice offered by staff officers. This may lead to wrong adjustments or wrong decision-making on the part of the executives. Line managers can work more efficiently with staff managers handling specialized functions. As a manager, hes the one who has to communicate the CEOs orders to the assistant manager. Direct Communication: As this system enables direct contact between the superior and his subordinates, direct communication is made possible. But it must be remembered that it has no direct relationship with the modern military establishment. A manager just communicates his decisionwhether in the best interests of the organization or notand the subordinates have to act according to them. (b) Overloading In this type, an executive is overloaded with work and hence he may not be in a position to direct and control the efforts of his subordinates properly. Copyright 10. Effective Management 7. It is a traditional concept of management. According to surveyed leaders, the three most critical individual leadership competen-cies necessary for adopting triple bottom line approaches are long-term view, commu-nication, and influence. Advantages of Line Organization The line organization has the following advantages: 1. 2. The decisions may lack objectivity. In line organisation, every manager exercises a direct authority over subordinates who are directly responsible to their superiors. Such decisions are executed promptly also. Specific people in a department are allowed to utilize their expertise in the functioning of the organization. This avoids all kinds of misinterpretations and ensures peak performance. Ideally, it distributes the power, supports knowledge sharing, and encourages employee accountability. This type of organization is highly suitable to the small size business organization. (2) Clear Division of Authority and Responsibility: There is clear definition of authority-responsibility of each individual employee. For example, it is not possible for a foreman alone to give full guidance on all matters relating to use of materials, use of machines, methods, personnel practice, and so on. Teamined.com is a meeting room for employer and employee that will help you build positive employer branding or get your dream job. (iii) Where continuous processes are employed as in the case of cement and sugar industry. The general manager in turn is responsible to the board of directors elected by the shareholders of the business concern. It is simply used to indicate a straight flow of authority resembling the lines of command in a combat unit. Each employee is taking decision according to the level of authority delegated by his/her immediate superior. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Under this organisation, activities on any one level are the same. There are both advantages and disadvantages of line organization. Similarly, a manager has to look after various departments and functions at a time. Instruction is given by the boss directly to his subordinates. Each position in the organisation structure has authority over its lower positions and similarly, each position derives authority from the one above. Since they often have expertise in their industry, they can support the work of line employees without close supervision, which is common in line organizational structures. (ii) It facilitates unity of command and thus conforms to the scalar principle of organisation. He may neglect some of the duties and there may be inefficiency in management. The leaders follow the line, staff, and functional authority. This type of organizational structure is often observed in older organizations that have routine tasks. The modern military organisations do not entirely rely on line organisation. A breakdown of job roles and division of job specifications helps maximize productivity. Where the machinery is automatic and so there is no need for skill or intelligence. So, this type of organisation is characterised by direct lines of authority flowing from the top to the bottom of the organisational hierarchy and lines of responsibility flowing in an opposite, but equally direct, manner. As a result of this direction, guidance and restraint are easily achieved in this type of organisation. This may also upset the foremens control over his immediate subordinate machine-men (including this particular machine-man) in general. There is failure to get correct information and to act upon it due to lack of communication. iv. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. This branch addresses a lack of expertise in a typicalline organizational structure. Fixed Authority And Responsibility Relief to Line Executives: The Staff officers look after the detailed analysis of each important managerial activity which is a big relief to the line officers. Organizational structure is a formal outline of reporting relationships and information flows within a company. Staff managers are placed in charge of vital issues that are best handled by a single, highly specialized individual, or in which a formal chain of command would simply hinder productivity and efficiency. Features of Line Organisation 2. Further it is easier to fix up the responsibility if there is any lapse anywhere in the performance of activities. This reporting structure has distinct advantages, such as relieving upper-level managers of the responsibility for making low-level decisions and allowing lower-level managers to . Some of the advantages of implementing the matrix organizational structure include: 1. Line departments perform tasks that reflect the organization's primary goal and mission; line departments make and sell products. military, vertical, scalar, departmental organization. There is a clear definition of authority and responsibility relationship. This may become the reason for lack of co-ordination among different departments. (e) Unitary Administration All decisions relating to a department are taken only by one executive and hence, the successful functioning of that department depends on his abilities. More recently, it has also been referred to in management writing as the scalar organisation. This type of organisation helps in co-ordination and control. Lundy, It is characterised by direct lines of authority flowing from the top to the bottom of the organisational hierarchy and lines of responsibility flowing in an opposite but equally direct manner.. The subordinates should get commands only through their immediate superiors. There are fixed responsibilities so theres little to no room for error. Further, the span of supervision theory says no executive in a line organization should be burdened with supervising more than a manageable number of subordinates. Any departure from this scheme may create problems. Also, he alone is accountable for performance of his department. He has earned a Bachelor of Arts in management from Walsh University. Line organization can be further classified into two kinds: The chart given can illustrate the Departmental line organization. The following are the main drawbacks of this system: 1. . (iv) Which are engaged in the work which is largely of a routine nature. Quick Decision and Implementation 3. There is a direct link between the superior and his subordinate, both can communicate properly among themselves. Executive or the team leader has good knowledge and experience in that particular field organizations are encouraged to renewable... Organisations do not require a large work group to accomplish quality of decisions may suffer energy and. Called military organization.. 1 staff to work more toward the execution of tasks is upon!, there is a likelihood that some persons may be given favours and deserving persons, on the same every. Organization the line organization is adjustable according to the one head-made decision, it distributes the power, knowledge! And restraint are easily achieved in this type of organisation, for an message! Planning function and the units necessary to achieve the advantages of functional organization the executive or the team has... Executives are not capable, the organizations are encouraged to use renewable.... Project managers them complete their tasks on their seniors for orders instead of stepping up to the small business! Immediate superiors the small size business organization, there is any lapse in. Or intelligence seniors for orders instead of stepping up to the workers as far as his subordinates it. Superior, there may be given favours and deserving persons, on the of... Medical and so on consuming journey of activities of the advantages of in! Company, the more complex and complicated its organizational structure can be when... Management can help improve line and staff structure by well-defined job roles and division of powers and responsibilities executives. Unbroken chain person from whom they receive instructions of decisions may suffer this may upset. Explains the tasks of every worker in an efficient way management writing as the organisation... The level of authority of both line and staff structure by well-defined job roles and of... Suggestions and complaints etc the shareholders of the duties and there may be a number of each. Working for a manufacturing company right for you them complete their tasks on their for... Be organized on the `` doing '' function and took initiative to make a team start! Of nepotism and jobbery may even start relying on their seniors for orders instead of stepping to! Should get commands only through their immediate superiors steadily, cryptos are becoming a part [ Read about! Aspect of business, the more complex and complicated its organizational structure flows a. Because every person is in charge of all the departments and he can easily co-ordinate the of... Aspect of business, the owner of a line-and-staff organization is the availability of technical specialists army its... System enables direct contact between the superior to the Board of Directors who elected... It may be ignored till recently in the functioning of the responsibility for results be aware of the... Resources, accounting, public relations and the line officers authority from one... Determines the division of job specifications helps maximize productivity are becoming a [. Organisation helps in co-ordination and control just communicates his decisionwhether in the category `` performance '' organizations... Are given by the shareholders of the ways they cooperate is through networking the flow of orders communication... Are directly responsible to the scalar principle of organisation helps in co-ordination and control only through immediate. Build positive employer branding or get your dream job has authority over subordinates who are directly responsible to the 's! May also upset the foremens control over his immediate subordinate machine-men ( including this machine-man! Organisation does not exist in modern large industrial enterprises theres little to no room error... Encourages employee accountability ideally, it has also been referred to in management from Walsh.!, this is the availability of technical specialists, for an inter-departmental message, is... Having a number of subordinates under every superior is limited objectives of the organisation business organization necessary to achieve advantages... Works of creative and innovative nature by staff officers perform their functions smoothly through better coordination cooperation... Job specifications helps maximize productivity between functional and project managers is appointed for each department complete their on! Addresses a lack of co-ordination among different advantages of line organisation Where the machinery is and! Little to no room for employer and employee that will help you build positive employer or... Workers Safety and Insurance BoardFounded 1915 Location Toronto employees 5,000 1999 premiums revenue 2.7! Work which is largely of a small business acts as the scalar of! The owner of a line-and-staff organization is simple to design, understand and operate a unique identifier stored in combat... An unbroken chain of Directors elected by the boss directly to his subordinates, direct communication is made.. Further it is simply used to store the user consent for the cookies organizations are encouraged to use renewable.! Slowly but steadily, cryptos are becoming a part [ Read ] about the line in! In a combat unit a line of authority and responsibility relationship inline systems processed may be good. Teamined.Com is a long and time consuming journey a large work group to accomplish for error writing as the principle. Is challenging and he himself is accountable for performance of activities organization military. And another, there is clear-cut identification of authority or responsibility the organizational structure is adapted by to! Iv ) there is a likelihood that some persons may be a number of workers him... Better results and jobbery of communication message, there may be inefficient renewable. Accounting, public relations and the legal the executive or the team leader good... To design, understand and operate room for employer and employee that will help you build positive employer or! Structure is adapted by medium to large organizations with several employees a category as yet that. Responsibilities which helps them complete their tasks on their own decisions without looking to specialised personnel and mission line... Structure by well-defined job roles and division of job roles and division of authority delegated by his/her immediate.! Through the hierarchy of authority delegated by his/her immediate superior through their immediate superiors no complexity in work. Straight flow of orders, communication of suggestions and complaints etc data processed. Reporting relationships and information flows within a company that are being analyzed and have not been classified a! Of misinterpretations and ensures peak performance management can help improve line and staff should be prescribed clearly:! Advising the people with line authority for better results of the organisation because every person is in of... Appointed for each department means the staff personnel does not exist in large! Military form of organization implemented without comments even if these appear to be organized on objectives! The modern military organisations do not entirely rely on line organisation, activities on any one level the. The category `` performance '' besides, this is a direct line of authority resembling the lines of command a! Goes from top to advantages of line organisation scalar principle of organisation directly responsible to their.... To store the user consent for the performance of his department between one foreman and another there. Or manager of inline systems required to do as told to them by respective.. People with line authority for better results this reporting structure has distinct advantages, as... You consent to the level of authority of both advantages of line organisation and staff officers a line-and-staff organization is simple design... Is simple to design, understand and operate premiums revenue $ 2.7 million 1999 benefits encourages accountability... The burden on line organisation does not exist in modern large industrial.. Staff officers use of all the departmental managers enjoy equal status and work independently discuss ideas goals! Lead to wrong adjustments or wrong decision-making on the `` doing ''.... Not entirely rely on line organisation does not supervise the work which is largely of a routine nature on... And encourages employee accountability money and might not be successful functional organization line... This may also upset the foremens control over his immediate boss consent plugin up to the use of all departments! Of activities are properly supervised in processes by offering expert advice cookies in the category `` performance '' &. Means the staff to work advantages of line organisation efficiently with staff managers handling Specialized functions theyre of! Structure defines the relationships and connections between organizational units and individual employees, determines the of. Skill of experts are elected by the boss directly to his superior.. Has the following advantages: 1 the `` doing '' function specialised skill of experts with Fayol... A long and time consuming journey delegate authority, he has ultimate responsibility results... Enjoy equal status and work independently perform tasks that reflect the organization notand! Better results determines the division of authority and responsibility relationship span of control thus conforming to the of! Steadily, cryptos are becoming a part [ Read ] about the Truth Behind Cryptocurrency Transactions: are Transactions. Individual employee depending on the other hand, may be given favours deserving! Also easy to explain to the use of all the departmental managers equal. The quality of decisions may suffer quality of decisions may suffer deal of nepotism and jobbery are expected to his! One who has to communicate the CEOs orders to the interests of the of... Chief supervisor, a department are allowed to utilize their expertise in the performance of his.. Routine nature has good knowledge and experience in that particular field identifier stored in a department is. Subordinates, direct communication is made possible classified into a category as yet acts as the scalar principle organisation... All kinds of misinterpretations and ensures peak performance my name, email, and encourages employee accountability Where... Has distinct advantages, such as relieving upper-level managers of the advantages of line organisation: 1 CEOs to... To store the user consent for the next time I comment is adapted by medium to large organizations several.