AQA GCSE Business (9-1) 4. Human Resources

What layer of staff are usually ranked under Directors?

• Supervisors

• Workers

• Assisstants

• Managers

What is meant by the term 'span of control'?

• The number of workers that report to 1 manager

• The number of workers that report to all managers in the structure

• The number of layers in an organisation

• The span of control a manager has

An advantage of an organisational structure is ...

• it makes it easy for everybody to know who is responsible for what

• it helps the business make sure it has someone in every role to deal with activities

• it helps keep track of the main levels of responsbility

• all of the above

Tall organisational structures have ..

• long chains of command, more layers and narrow spans of control

• short chains, less layers and wide spans of control

• long chains of command, fewer layers and narrow spans of control

• short chains of command and more layers

Narrow span of control means ..

• a manager has few subordinates to monitor

• a manager has more subordinates to monitor

• communication can be quicker up and down the structure

• a short chain of command

Communication in a flat structure tends to be ..

• quicker

• difficult

• slow

• impossible

An advantage of a centralised structure is

• Policies and decisions are more uniformed and follow the organisations aims and objectives

• Decisions can take a long time and the business reacts slowly to change

• Senior managers at the top can become very powerful and 'loose touch' with the workers

• Inconsistencies may develop between departments or regions

An example of decentralised organisations is:

• Asda

• Boroughbridge High

• Apple

Delayering happens when

• a business is getting too tall

• a business is becoming inefficient and slow to react to the market

• a business is struggling in a recession and needs to cut costs

• all of the above

In delayering, which level is most likely to be removed?

• Directors

• Workers

• Operatives

• Supervisors/lower management