Span of management (short note)

Meaning

The span of management, or span of control, is the number of subordinates a superior can manage effectively. There is always a limit to it, but the limit is not a fixed number. The classical writers suggested about six subordinates at the top and twenty at the bottom; the later view is that so many variables are at work that no single figure can be laid down.

Span and the levels of the structure

Because the span is limited, levels of management come into being. A wide span goes with few levels in the structure; a narrow span produces many levels. The span thus largely shapes the organisation structure.

Factors that decide the span

The most important single factor is how far the manager can cut down the time he must spend with each subordinate. That depends on:

• Rate of change. Where conditions change slowly, the span can be broad; rapid change calls for a narrow span.
• Training of subordinates. Well-trained subordinates need fewer contacts, so the span can be wider.
• Communication techniques. Clear and concise instructions mean fewer return visits, which widens the span; relying on personal contact for every order narrows it.
• Clarity of plans. Where plans are well defined and workable, enough authority has been delegated to carry them out and subordinates understand what is expected of them, little is left for the supervisor to do.
• Complexity of the work. Simple tasks allow a wider span than complex ones, and a competent manager can handle more people.
• Clear delegation. A subordinate with a well-defined task and enough authority needs little of the manager's time.

A call-centre supervisor in Noida whose agents follow a set script can oversee twenty-five of them, while the head of a research team designing a new vaccine may manage only five scientists.