Line and staff positions

In business, organization structure means the relationship between positions and people who hold the positions. Organization structure is very important because it provides an efficient work system as well as a system of communication.
Historically, line structure is the oldest type of organization structure. The main idea of it is direct vertical relationships between the positions and tasks of each level, and the positions and tasks above and bellow each level. For example, a sales manager may be in a line position between a vice-president of marketing and a salesman. Thus a vice president of marketing has direct authority over a sales manager. A sales manager in his turn has direct authority over a salesman. This chain of command simplifies the problems of giving and taking orders.
When a business grows in size and becomes more complex, there is a need for specialists. In such case administrators may organize staff departments and add staff specialists to do specific work. These people are usually busy with services, they are not tied in with the company product. The activities of the staff departments include an accounting, personnel, credit and advertising. Generally they do not give orders to other departments.
Active Vocabulary
relationship взаємовідносини, стосунки
to hold a position займати посаду
organization structure організаційна структура
level рівень
sales manager керівник по торгівлі /маркетингу
salesman продавець
to have direct authority over smb. мати безпосередню владу над кимось
staff штат
to give orders наказувати, давати накази
to take orders приймати накази
a line department лінійний відділ (який має безпосереднє
відношення до кінцевого продукту)
staff department штабний відділ (який не має прямого відношення
до виробництва, але обслуговує його)
to be tied in with the company product мати відношення до кінцевого продукту
complex складний
Comprehension Questions
1. What does the organization structure mean?
2. What does the organization structure provide?
3. What is historically the oldest type of organization structure?
4. In what position is a salesmanager in attitude to a vice-president of marketing and a
salesman?
5. What is the difference between line and staff departments?
6. Why is an advertising department or a credit department considered staff structure
rather than line structure?
Vocabulary Practice
Choose the necessary word and put it in the sentence.
1. Organization structure shows ... between each
position and positions above and below. 1 relationships
2. A sales manager has direct...over a salesman. 2 to hold a position
3. As a rule a... usually does not give orders to other departments. 3 authority
4. When the business gets more...there is a need for staff
departments. 4 complex
5. My friend...... of sales manager. 5 task
6. The... of staff departments is to do different services. 6 a line department
7. My friend works in a....... he is responsible for the
company product. 7 a staff department
Dialogue
Peggy Forman is talking with Jaff Downing, another administrative assistant in her company.
Jaff How are you today, Peggy?
Peggy Oh, fine, thanks.
Jaff Glad to hear that. By the way, are you familiar with the organizational chart for
the company?
Peggy No, I am not. What is it like actually?
Jaff Well, the chart shows how the employees are divided into groups. It gives one
an overview of the chain of command in the company.
Peggy I see. The positions can be line and staff ones.
Jaff Yes. The subject is not new to you. What else do you know about it?
Peggy As far as I know a worker in a line position receives orders from his immediate subordinate.
Jaff Exactly, that's the line chain of command.
Peggy A worker in a staff position reports directly to a line worker but he neither gives
nor receives orders for line workers. Am I right?
Jaff Yes, you are. But someone may have line authority over people in his
department and not be considered a line administrator.
Peggy How can it be?
Jaff That's possible when a whole department is a staff department. For example, in
our company the head of the credit department or the personnel department can
hardly ever be president of the company.
Peggy And what do the people in staff departments do, how is their work different?
Jaff Well, they are usually busy with services and they could do the same service for
any company. So they are not in the line.
Peggy It seems to be rather complicated.
Jaff It only seems so. I think the chart should help.
Peggy Oh, sure. But, Jaff, would you explain me what span of control is?
Jaff Oh, span of control refers to the number of people whom one managers directly. Peggy Can you give me an example?
Jaff Well. The President of our company directly managers the Vice President of
Production, the Vice President of Marketing and the Comptroller. Thus, his
span of control includes three people.
Peggy Yes, now I see. Thank you for your help.
Jaff Not at all. Why don't we go to the coffee stall and have a snack together?
Active Vocabulary
organizational chart організаційна схема
line position лінійна посада
staff position штатна посада
immediate superior безпосередній керівник
immediate subordinate безпосередній підлеглий
line chain of command лінійна структура підпорядкування
to report звітувати, повідомити
credit department кредитний відділ
span of control сфера безпосереднього підпорядкування
vice-president of production віце-президент з виробництва
vice-president of marketing віце-президент зі збуту
comptroller головний фінансист
Vocabulary Exercises.
Exercise 1. Give affirmative and negative answers to the questions.
Model: Have you examined the organizational structure of the company yet?
Yes, I have already examined it. No, I haven't examined it yet.
1. Have you reported to the comptroller yet?
2. Have you settled this problem with the manager yet?
3. Have you learned line and staff positions of the company yet?
4. Have you got acquainted with your immediate superior yet?
5. Have you heard about his span of control yet?
6. Have you met your immediate subordinates yet?
7. Have you passed your report to the credit department yet?
Exercise 2. Change the sentences according to the model.
Model: A staff employee doesn't give orders.
A staff employee doesn't receive orders.
A staff employee neither gives, nor receives orders.
1. He isn't a Comptroller. He isn't a sales manager.
2. The head of the credit department doesn't advise the President. The head of the credit department doesn't report to comptroller.
3. He doesn't want to hold a position of vice-president of marketing. He doesn't want to hold a position of general manager.
4. A credit department doesn't have direct authority over a line department. A personnel department doesn't have direct authority over a line department.
5. I don't want to talk with the Boss. I don't want to talk with the Controller.
6. She doesn't like to give orders. She doesn't like to receive orders.
7. Jecky doesn't want to attend annual meeting of shareholders. Susan doesn't want to attend annual meeting of shareholders too.
Exercise 3. Answer the questions.
1. What is your relationship with your immediate superior?
2. What position in your company do you want to hold?
3. Do you want to be a sales-manager or a vice president of marketing? Give your reasons.
4. Over what positions do you have direct authority in your company?
5. What do you like more: to give orders or to receive orders?
6. Do you want to work in a staff department or in a line department? Give your reasons.
Exercise 4. Have a look at the organizational chart of the company.
What line and staff positions can you discern? Speak about the organizational structure of this enterprise.
Exercise 5. Translate into English.
1. Мої відносини з начальником дуже добрі.
2. Мій друг займає посаду головного фінансиста.
3. Я не знайомий з організаційною структурою нашого підприємства.
4. він більше любить віддавати накази, ніж отримувати їх.
5. Я надаю перевагу роботі в лінійному відділі.
6. Штабні відділи не пов’язані з кінцевою продукцією.
7. Структура нашого підприємства складна.
8. Мені більше підходить штабна посада, ніж лінійна.
9. Мій безпосередній керівник дуже пунктуальний.
10.В сферу мого безпосереднього підпорядкування входять три керівники груп.
11.Головний фінансист несе дуже велику відповідальність.
12. Я звільню мого безпосереднього підлеглого. Він лінивий.
Grammar Exercises
Exercise 1. Transfer the sentences from Active into Passive.
Model: The manager examines organizational structure of the firm.
Organizational structure of the firm is examined by the manager.
Vice-president gives orders to his employees.
I receive orders from the sales-manager.
My friend holds a position of general manager.
Personnel office receives resumes from prospective candidates.
Staff departments do different services to line departments.
He takes the orders and fulfils the task very quickly usually.
Model: My friend is examining the organizational chart.
The organizational chart is being examined by my friend.
1. I am sending my annual report to my immediate superior.
2. The foreman is firing his immediate subordinate.
3. Comptroller is giving the orders to his employees.
4. We are changing the organizational structure of our company.
5. The board of directors is enlarging the staff of the company.
Model: I have invested my money in real estate.
My money has been invested in real estate.
1. We have considered advantages and disadvantages of partnership.
2. I have bought the shares of IBM company.
3. This business has involved big financial resources.
4. We have elected the board of directors.
5. The board of directors has chosen the company officers.

Внимание, отключите Adblock

Вы посетили наш сайт со включенным блокировщиком рекламы!
Ссылка для скачивания станет доступной сразу после отключения Adblock!

Скачать