What are the features of line and staff organisation

[rms]

Explain the features of line and staff organisation?

[nbm]

Line and staff organisation refers to a pattern in which staff specialists advise line managers to perform their duties.

(1) Managers are of two types— Line Managers and Staff Managers.

(2) Line Managers perform the functions of decision-making, issuing orders and controlling while
Staff Managers perform the functions of advising, assisting and providing expert and specialised services.

(3) There is unity of command.

(4) There is scalar chain.

Merits

This form of organisation came to existence as an improvement over the line organisation. Line and staff
organisation has removed serious drawbacks of the line organisation.

Specialisation—It is based on planned specialisation, line managers get the benefit of specialized
knowledge of staff specialists at various levels.

Encouragement to research and development programmes—The growth of an enterprise
depends largely on various research and development programmes. The staff provides this service to
the line departments.

Balanced decisions—Line managers may not have specialised knowledge in all areas and due to
this line managers may sometimes give wrong orders or pass wrong judgment. The suggestions and
advice given by staff manager help them in making rational judgment and balanced decisions.

Less burden on line managers—Staff managers relieve the line managers from the botheration
of concentrating on the specialised functions like accounting, selection and training of employees, public
relations etc. Thus there is a less burden on line managers. Many problems that are ignored or poorly
handled in the line organisation, can be properly covered. It is more flexible.

Demerits

Demerits of line and staff organisation are as follows:

(1) Confusion—It is very difficult to clearly establish the authority and responsibility relationship
between line and staff executives. This creates confusion among them.

(2) Ineffectiveness of the staff—The role of the staff is purely advisory. Since they do not have the
power to get their recommendations implemented, the staff services may prove to be ineffective.

(3) Conflict between line and staff—There is generally a conflict between line and staff executives,
line authorities feel that staff executives do not always give right type of advice and therefore reject
even some very good schemes. Line authorities do not want to give an impression to the management
that they are in any way inferior to staff. Thus there is conflict between line and staff.