Preview

Span of Control

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
596 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Span of Control
SPAN OF CONTROL
Corporations often see a shift in executive teams throughout the course of their existence. Often times when during a company merger, acquisition, or a vote by the Board of Directors to replace the company’s leadership, a new style of management will emerge. Different leaders have various ideas on how the management of the company is to be handled. Some CEO’s like to have a small executive team, with separate areas of the business combined into segments and receive reporting through their direct reports, while others like to have a large executive team with a different leader for each business segment. With the number of different management styles out there, employees need to be able to adapt to these changes. In the example provided, the CEO of Fiat decided to flatten the management organization between Fiat and Chrysler. In doing so, the CEO increased the number of direct reports he had under his span of control. In reducing the number of management levels, each of his direct reports had a broad area of the business to control and be responsible for. The move to flatten the span of control allows the business to bring out its employees talents, skills, and strengths. A move like this can be a positive one for the employees as it boosts morale and gives power to the employees of the business to collaborate and be a part of the company’s success (Griffin, 2012). Giving everyone in the organization the feeling of having a voice is a good way to keep all employees engaged and passionate about the company’s success. The change in the management structure promotes the business to the workforce and provides an opportunity for the management team to build on the success of its employees. While a flat management structure has some positives, there are also some issues that leaders should keep a watchful eye out for to ensure the shit in control is successful. Managers in a flat structure need to be sure to share any research or



References: Griffin, D. (2012). Tall vs. flat organizational structure. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/‌tall-vs-flat-organizational-structure-283.html

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    BUSI690 Rothaermel Ex 3

    • 1270 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A functional structure groups employees into teams, allowing for increased decision-making at lower levels of the managerial chain (Rothaermel, 2013). The opportunity for specialization allows for the functional structure to be employed with each of the business-level strategies: cost leadership, differentiation, or integration (Rothaermel, 2013). One of the hurdles to overcome would be the likely increase in difficulties which arise from departmentalization of the varying teams (Rothaermel, 2013). The best way to overcome such a hurdle is through cross-functional teams (Rothaermel, 2013).…

    • 1270 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Org 581

    • 1304 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Starbucks divides its labor into cross functional work teams, which allows employees to report to multiple supervisors. “This structural behavior has allowed the corporation to have successful communication upward, downward and laterally with its employees” (“Successful Application of Organizational Behavior: Starbucks,” 2009). The matrix structure seems to work for Starbucks, as they maintain effective communication, great product development, efficient production, and exemplary customer service as a result.…

    • 1304 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Consulting Proposal 1

    • 1203 Words
    • 4 Pages

    References: Fairest, J. (2014). Leading employees through major organizational change. Ivey Business Journal Online, , 1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1556018438?accountid=12085…

    • 1203 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Change Model

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Implementing planned organizational change is partly a science, partly an art. It has also become part of a desired skill set—and mindset—needed by most companies, regardless of industry, size, and geographic location. While experience is important in this endeavor, knowing and using classic and contemporary wisdom from models, roadmaps, and frameworks is necessary. CEOs and practicing managers hire coaches and consultants who specialize in change management to help diagnose, plan, and implement individual, group, and organizational changes in their organizations. This chapter introduces the art and knowledge of implementing change.…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Implementing change in an organization is complicated. It is important that a manager understands their role and responsibilities for which could very well be the success or failure of an organization. A manager should know how to handle staff resistance, and the areas that require change. There are processes that help management with assisting their staff members with adjusting to change and concentrate on the areas of importance. This process includes planning, assessment, implementation, and evaluation. The difference between a failed organization and a successful manager is when the manager has the ability to implement change with little disruption to their staff members.…

    • 1164 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Change is inevitable in a society for all types of businesses. Various changes need to occur within an organization due to the economy, mergers, customer’s preferences, technology, and globalization. To eliminate the resistance of change leaders should be aware of why managers and employees shun from it. Leaders should also become experts regarding methods to help employees adapt during the change process because of the positive and negative outcomes that can occur. In doing so, the process can become a successful experience.…

    • 1109 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    change is essential to any establishment so as to survive, remain competitive in today’s market, and for continued success (Anderson and Anderson, 2010; Wittig, 2012). In most literatures (Bovey and Hede, 2001; Yılmaz and Kılıçoğlu, 2013) concerning leadership and management, concept of ‘change’ has been defined as a process which involves going from the known to the unknown. In this regard, it is hard for employees to adapt to change at most organizations (Ravichandran and Piramuthu, 2012), therefore, employee resistance is inevitable, and management must be well equipped to deal with it (Baker, 1989 cited Fine, 1986).…

    • 702 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Management Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4…

    • 4711 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Control Theory

    • 15254 Words
    • 62 Pages

    ravis Hirschi has dominated control theory for four decades. His influence today is undiminished and likely will continue for years, if not decades, to come (see, e.g., Britt & Gottfredson, 2003; Gottfredson, 2006; Kempf, 1993; Pratt & Cullen, 2000). Beyond the sheer scholarly talent manifested in his writings, what accounts for Hirschi’s enduring influence on criminological theory? Three interrelated considerations appear to nourish the appeal of his thinking. First, Hirschi’s theories are stated parsimoniously. This means that his theory’s core propositions are easily understood (e.g., the lack of social bonds or of self-control increases criminal involvement). Second, Hirschi is combative and thus controversial. He stakes out a theoretical position and then argues that alternative perspectives are wrong. Hirschi (1983) has long been antagonistic to attempts to integrate theories. Good theories, he believes, have assumptions and an internal consistency that make them incompatible with other approaches. Attempts to mix them together result in fuzzy conceptual frameworks and inhibit the growth of the individual theories. Third, because Hirschi’s theories are parsimoniously stated and make claims that other theories are wrong, they are ideal to test empirically. One (but not the only) reason that theories flourish is that they are able to provide scholars with opportunities to conduct research and gain publications—the very accomplishment that allows for tenure…

    • 15254 Words
    • 62 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    As clearly stated in the article Managing Change Successfully by Eileen Brownell (Sep/Oct, 2000), “Change is inevitable.” Within every company in every industry, change exhibits growth. Without change, companies will become obsolete. With technology continually changing, organizations have restructured the inner-workings of the business. Organizations need to structure the way employees communicate and work together to achieve the underlining goals of the company.…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Best Essays

    Knight, D., Pearce, C.L., Smith, K.G., Olian, J.D., Sims, H.P., Smith, K.A., Flood, P. (1999). Top Management Team Diversity, Group Process, and Strategic Consensus. Strategic Management Journal, 20, 445-465. Retrieved on September 5, 2012 from: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=eea8e932-5ac4-4b37-9263-f0fbbe86e790%40sessionmgr114&vid=16&hid=106…

    • 2321 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Miss

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages

    On the other hand by using a flat structure this may bring some disadvantages to Dyson as their management has a wider span of control meaning the management may be less in control as they have to focus on numerous departments which all have different job roles. Due to there being one manager this may mean staff members make decisions which they are not trained to do and therefore could have a negative effect on Dyson however this could also empower the members of staff as they feel trusted within their job. Controversially employees are expected to focus on one task to achieve a certain goal; this may lead to the staff becoming de-motivated within their job and therefore creating a lack of commitment to complete the given goal. The lack of layers involved within a flat structure may reduce the chance of employees gaining promotion within Dyson and therefore they may remain at the same level within the organisation.…

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Span of control is refers to the number of direct reports a manager has. In other words it states the number of employees can a manager efficiently and effectively manage. The optimal numbers of subordinates supervised by a single executive is 5 to 6 in an average firm. It is importantly to note that managers that have more than six subordinates would soon lose track of what is going on in the organisation. Therefore the number of direct reports a manager can handle depends on the nature of the work being supervised, how visible the performance of subordinates is and the extent of decentralisation within an organisation. Generally, if the work performed by subordinates is routine then the performance of subordinates is visible and easy to measure,…

    • 1106 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Management styles are wide and varied across the entire world of work. The specific type of management that works for one particular set of workers does not always work for another group of employees. Almost everyone has come into direct contact with a manager at some point in their careers. It is the relationship between the employee and the manager that must be keenly developed; in order for an office, factory, restaurant, or similar organization to run smoothly and effectively. When an organization is being managed efficiently, workers are much more upbeat, production levels are optimal, and the overall working environment has a fragrance of positivity. In sharp contrast, when an organization is ineffectively managed, more times than not, worker productivity are well below standard levels, workers are more prone to use sick days, and the working environment has an extremely dismal feel. Understanding these two sides of effective and ineffective management will help us to further grasp the grave importance of various types of management style. The thing that makes management such a hotly discussed issue is the fact that truly effective management is the lifeblood and livelihood of any successful organization. As the United States and world economy continues to change around us, so does management style. As the market pool of heavily tech-savvy, college educated workers prepare to enter into the shaky job market, management styles will also continue adapt to fit the ever changing employee profile. Some of the myriad management styles that a great deal of first-line, middle, upper-level and executive manager's use on a daily basis include: Participatory Style, Directing Style, and Teamwork Style. For the purposes of this discussion we will focus upon the Teamwork Style of management that is used by a former middle-manager who worked for the former, McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company, (which presently goes by the name of Boeing).…

    • 1301 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Organisational Behaviour

    • 4218 Words
    • 17 Pages

    Flat hierarchies were introduced to cut costs as fewer people are now being employed as managers or supervisors. This then leaves current staff with greater responsibility as their span of control increases, encouraging employees to make decisions for themselves. However this type of hierarchy could leave staff demotivated as they see no opportunity for promotion.…

    • 4218 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Powerful Essays

Related Topics