Line and staff authority types of staff, advantages. It has an influence that derives indirectly from line authority at a higher level. While line authority relies on command, line and staff authority is based on command and advise. Linestaff organization, in management, approach in which authorities e. One form is the authority simply to advice, but the line manager can always choose whether to seek or to avoid input from the staff.
Staff authority enables those responsible for improving the effectiveness of line personnel to perform their required tasks. It is the employeremployee authority relationship that extends from top to bottom. Workers in a line department typically have greater authority than staff workers, who usually are only able to advise and cannot make independent decisions. Line and staff relationship in organization with example. Staff authority belongs to those individuals or groups in an organization who provide services and advice to line mangers. Line and staff organization management study guide. Authority, responsibility, delegation, hierchy and departmentation. The staff position established as a measure of support for the line managers may take the following forms. Staff authority granted to staff specialists in their areas of expertise. The differences between line authority and staff authority are as follows. By implication, the technology of an enterprise always dictates its span of control authority levels and extent of delegation, responsibility assignment, and number.
Authority definition types of authority in management. Line and staff aspects of human resources management. The line organization is the simplest organizational structure. Staff workers derive influence from expert authority or authority of knowledge, from their control of information which may be vital to line managers, and from their closer access to upper management. According to this administrative organization, specialized and supportive activities are attached to the line of command by appointing staff supervisors and staff specialists who are attached to the line authority. It is that authority which a superior exercises over his subordinates to accomplish primary objectives of the organization.
Line authority entitles a manager to direct the work of an employee. Line authority s functioning contributes directly to the accomplishment of. Lineandstaff organizations examples, advantages, manager. Key difference line authority vs staff authority the key difference between line authority and staff authority is that line authority reflects superiorsubordinate relationships characterized by the power of decision making whereas staff authority refers to the right to advice on improving the effectiveness for line employees in performing their duties. Power is the ability or potentials of a person to influence another person or a group to perform an act. From the view point of staff personnel, conflict is created because line personnel do not. Line and staff organization is the organization structure, in which there is a normal departmentation of the regular business operations, and there is the functional specialist to perform specialised activities.
What is the difference between staff and line agencies. Some public administrationists call it a defective hierarchy. Another form of staff authority is called compulsory advice. A military line position is one commanding troops the line in action. All managers in organizations have to carry out the same basic 5 functions, which are namely.
There is wide difference between the approach of line managers and staff managers. Line versus staff authority authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders. Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders. The right in the position and hence the right in the person occupying the position to exercise discretion in making decisions. This is a form of authority that has both the elements of managerial authority and that of staff authority. Even if staff advice is sought, the manager can choose to use it or ignore it. This unit provides counseling on financial matters to the companys management personnel. Line organization structure reference notes grade 12. Sometimes when staff authority do no perform well there may be failure 5. Line positions in a company are those that have the responsibility and authority for achieving the major goals of the corporation. According to this approach, line authority is defined as a direct authority which a superior exercises over his subordinates to carry out orders and instructions. Narrower than line authority and includes the right to advise, recommend, and counsel in the staff specialists area of expertise. An inside view article pdf available in employee relations 253. According to mooney, there are three functions of staff agencies, namely.
The distinction is between line and staff positions. The exercise of this authority is always downwards, that is, form a. Staff functions provide support functions planning and control functions. Staff elements are those which have responsibility and authority for providing advice and service to the line in the attainment of objectives.
A staff that is not utilized effectively because of a managers fai lure to delegate is a major loss to an organization, a waste of human resources. What has happened is that the president, feeling it unnecessary to clear such specialized matters personally, has delegated line authority to staff assistants. The following figure depicts the line and staff authority. Line employees are those directly involved in the daily operations of a business by selling or producing a product or service. However, divorcing staff from all authority over the line respects unity of command, but violates in some extent the principle of specialization. Difference between line authority and staff authority compare the. Line managers are authorized to direct the work of subordinates. Staff authority however is not accountable for the result. Line manager is an in charge of essential activities like operations and authorized to issue orders to subordinates down the chain of command. Staff authority is less concrete and may take a variety of forms. The four staff and service executives have functional authority over the line organizations concerning procedures in the field of accounting, personnel, purchasing, and public relations. There can be reduction of initiative power o line authority. Another administrative principle popular in public administration is line and staff. A militarytype organizational structure, commonly employed in large, centralized corporations.
Specialist may be a human resource executive, manager, or nonmanager who typically is concerned with only one of the functional areas of human resource management. Pdf advantages and disadvantages of line and staff style of. Staff authority consists of the right to advise or assist those who possess line authority as well as other staff personnel. The key difference between line authority and staff authority is that line authority reflects superiorsubordinate relationships characterized by the. The informative function of the staff is to collect for the chief executive all the relevant information on which his decisions may be based. Illustrate the hr responsibilities of line and staff.
A modified line and staff structure modified by the delegation of management authority to personnel outside the normal span of control. Every organisation exists to achieve specific goals. Line management line management is based on the historical topdown structure in an organization where a manager had significant control over the production and revenuegenerating activities of employees. Authority within a lineandstaff organization can be differentiated. Line and staff are two different types of organization structure. Line and staff personnel must work together closely to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness. Illustrate the hr responsibilities of line and staff managers.
Line authority gives a superior a line of authority over a subordinate. It is a communication relationship with management. Working individually or in groups, develop outlines showing how trends like workforce diversity. Typically, these goals are targets for revenues and profits. Line and staff aspects of human resources management and. Present day organisations make considerable use of line, staff and functional authorities. Generally, this kind of authority is delegated to a staff expert who is restricted in the areas of organization structure and functions in which it can be. This is conceptual paper which has covered what is need for line and staff organization, what is meaning, features, their management styles, line and staff positions, line and staff authority. It exists in all organizations as an uninterrupted scale or series of steps.
Line managers direct the work of subordinates and make important decisions, while staff managers advise those with line authority. What is the different between line and staff authority. What are advantages and disadvantages of line and staff. Line authority has the right to decide and to command but the has the right to provide advice, assistance and information. The authority by which the staff performs these functions is delegated by the line and the performance must be acceptable to the line before action is taken. Line and staff organization is a modification of line organization and it is more complex than line organization. The staff officers do not have any power of command in the organization as they are employed to provide expert advice to the line officers. Within the organization, hr managers have both line and staff authority, and often various implied authorities. What is the difference between line and staff authority. Examples of staff authority are found in personnel, purchasing, engineering, and finance. A line staff organizational structure attempts to render a large and complex enterprise more flexible without sacrificing managerial authority. The management accounting function is usually staff with responsibility for providing line managers and also other staff people with a specialized.
Types of organizational structure economics discussion. These specialists stand ready with their specialty to serve line mangers. Advantages and disadvantages of line and staff style of organizations. Conventional management texts assume that every manager must have the authority to. Maximizes the use of specialized units, or subunits anticrime squads traffic details payroll records training units firearms. A person holding a line authority is higher than a person holding a staff authority. Line and staff deals with the authority relationships i. Pdf in the paper we discussed the fact that the dichotomous concepts of modern. How does a human resources manager have line, staff.
Line managers may be too much dependent upon the staff authority. It is common for line and staff workers to come into conflict. The superior issues orders and instructions to his sub ordinates to complete the tasks. Moreover, line managers are directly accountable for sales and production target achievement, whereas staff managers extend support to help them achieve their goals. From the view point of line personnel, conflict is created because staff personnel tend to assume line authority do not give sound advice steal credit for success fail to keep line personnel informed of their activities do not see the whole picture. Difference between line authority and staff authority. Line and staff conflicts line and staff are two authorities w hich are fl owing a t the same time. This authority is delegated to those positions or elements of the organization which have direct responsibility for accomplishing the primary enterprise objectives. All the three types can be found in almost every organisation. Theres an important distinction between types of positions in a business that had its origins in the military. Staff, line and auxiliary agencies government public. Line and staff functions line functions directly involved in doing the work for which the organization is established line functions are also referred to as core functions staff authority. Line manager manages employees and operations of a business while reporting to the higher authority.
Read this article to learn about the definition, relationship and functions of line and staff in public administration. Thus, this paper found it is to be rational to identify the factors which lead to the line and staff conflict for hr roles in the organization in bangladesh. As organizations grow, they tend to add staff positions. Line and staff management has two separate hierarchies. In line organization the superior exercises direct authority over a subordinate. In any organisation, it is said, there are generally two types of employeesone. When organizations or businesses begin, they usually consist only of line positions, with everyone involved with production and sales. The other approach views that line and staff are two kinds of authority. Mangers with line authority those people in the organizations are directly responsible for. According to allen, line refers to those positions and elements of organisation, which have the responsibility and authority and are accountable for the accomplishment of primary objectives.