Lesson 5

LINE AND STAFF POSITIONS

Text

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