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SPAN OF CONTROL
Span of control management refers to the number of subordinates who report directly to a given superior. A manager’s ability to manage a larger number of subordinates is limited by time, knowledge, energy, personality and the tasks. Research has shown that managers at the top can handle up to four subordinates while the lower level can be as high as twenty.
Factors determining an effective span of control
- Subordinate training – level of knowledge and experience possessed to handle the job
- Degree of hazard or danger associated with the job
- Clarity of the delegation of authority in terms of scope
- Clarity of plans – clear policies, rules and procedures to guide decisions and reduce supervision time
- Cost of possible mistakes to the individuals and to the organization
- Rate of change – change determines the degree of policy formulation and stability. Stability is associated with wide spans of control e.g. catholic church and the reverse is true.
- Extent to which the job is complex
- Communication techniques – written versus oral communication
- Number of levels in the organizational structure
- Level of technology
- Type of production system
- Physical dispersion of subordinates
- Availability of a set of standard procedures
- Similarity of tasks
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