Answer to Question #80005 in Management for bongan gerald

Question

Using two businesses/ companies as an example, one with a flat or broad structure and the other with a narrow or high structure, discuss the factors that determine the best span of management.

Answer 1

i. Managers ability
Managers can have large span management if they are competent in doing their jobs. Their competence can be judged through channels of communication, the method of control and styles of leadership. The higher ranks managers on the parameters can supervise various subordinates.
ii. Nature of occupation
If the workers can execute the same and recurring task, managers can manage several assistants and hence have a flat span of management.
The challenging work and nonrepetitive one require a span of control that is narrow. The span of administration can also be affected when the nature of work is changed.
Changes are done regularly due to dynamic environs that are maintained by the highest structure of span. When there is stability like work, there is support in the Flat span of management since the direction of supervisors is not required to carry any task practice.
iii. Support for managers:
There is subordinate management when the managers access secretarial or technical assistance. There is a wide span of control. Staff support can be of help through the processing and collection of information that is related to a variety of decisions as well as issuing instructions.
iv. Competence of subordinates:
If subordinates are competent to manage their jobs without much assistance from the superiors, the span of control can be broad.
Skilled assistants do not require various directions from the superiors concerning various organizational activities. Superiors can thus, manage a larger group of subordinates.
v. Organizational level:
The top management looks after significant and specific actions, and thus, there is a narrow span of control at the high level, but the wide span of management at the bottom level as the supervisors are mostly concerned with regular jobs.