Line and Staff Organisation

Line and Staff Organisation

This method was developed to remove the defects of the Line Organisation and Functional Organisation. Under this system, the work is divided into independent divisions and responsibility is also divided in a scalar form but a technical specialist is also appointed along with the departmental heads. These specialists only give advice and do not interfere with the management of the organisation. The main characteristic of this kind of organisation is that the planning of arid advisory activities is classified from the actual performance of work. The specialists think and advise, while the workers and their heads perform that work. Thus, we see that Line and Staff Organisation is the combination of the better aspects of both Line and Functional Organisation, eliminating their drawbacks.

Merits of Line and Staff Organisation

1. Increase coordination of work in the institution.
2. The advice of specialised personnel encourages research activities.
3. There is more likelihood of an increase in production and a decrease in costs when the specialists devise and plan the production process.
4. The decisions taken by the executives on the basis of suggestions given by specialists are always firm decisions.
5. The appointment of specialised executives reduces the burden of work tremendously, Thus they can utilise their time in more important jobs.

Demerits of Line and Staff Organisation

1. Due to the involvement of several specialists, this system becomes very expensive and is suitable for big organisations only.
2. The departmental heads mostly believe that the specialists are their rivals and do not pay attention to their suggestions.
3. The specialists have no right to order but only to suggest.
4. The specialists are not held accountable for giving erroneous suggestions.
5. Sometimes due to a lack of understanding, the specialist and the departmental head develop disparities, which adversely affect the organisation’s work.