Tall Thin Organisation
e.g. the army.
There is a small span of control
with many levels of hierarchy.
advantages
·
tighter
supervision, necessary where mistakes cannot be allowed, e.g., the army.
·
less
stress is involved for each employee, as the scope of each job is limited.
·
more
layers of hierarchy means more frequent promotion opportunities.
Wide Flat Organisations
e.g. the church.
There is a wide span of control,
but there are few layers of hierarchy.
advantages
·
the
superior has less time for each subordinate, therefore must delegate
effectively (there is less promotion, but there can be greater authority).
·
fewer
layers of hierarchy are needed, therefore improving vertical communication (
decreased chain of command). This
allows subordinates the opportunity to use their ability (job enrichment).
The trend in the 1980s and 1990s
has been “delayering” - where there is increased span and decreased
levels of hierarchy. This has
led to a decrease in the numbers of middle management.