PRESENTATION ON

LINE AND STAFF CONFLICTS Prepared by:- Dharmesh R. Vaghela. Sem. :–1 (SFI). Roll No. :- 06.

Guided By:- Dr. R. J. Bhatt Sir.

Department of Business Administration,Bhavnagar University,

Bhavnagar.

Meaning

Line Authority :-Line Authority is that relationship in which a superior exercises direct supervision over a subordinate, an authority relationship in direct line or steps.

Staff Authority :-Staff relationship is advisory. The function of people in a pure staff capacity is to investigate, research and give advice to line managers.

Working Pattern/Responsibilities

Line Authority :-Line Authority is the heart of relationship

between superior and subordinates.It is the ultimate authority to command, act,

decide, approve or disapprove all the organizational activities.

It is also responsible for achieving the objectives of the organization.

Cont…

Staff Authority :-Staff work is essentially an intellectual process

consisting of such activities like Planning, Thinking, Studying, Informal recommending, and suggesting.

Staff work is a means to “an end, and not an end in itself”

Peculiarities of Line and Staff Relationship

One centre of Authority. Peculiar subordinate relationship. Staff obedient to an Impersonal Body of rules. False Assumption. Nature of staff service :-

The staff person can collect necessary information, study reflect and come with effectively solutions.

Staff works out most of the detail regarding organizations plans, policies and procedures which will apply to and govern the operations of the line departments

Staff coordinates activities of his own function.

Line – Staff Conflict According to Dalton’s study of Line and

Staff conflicts highlighted the following sources.

Line managers dislike to take advice from younger staff specialists.

Line managers label “Staff” as agents on trial. The staff, in turn, views himself as an expert.

Line managers feel that staff oversteps its authority.

Line people resent staff’s highly academic and untested ideas.

Staff people feel that line managers are bull-headed and do not clothe staff with enough authority and resist new ideas.

Line – Staff Conflicts

Simple Distinction between Line and Staff Line and Staff lead to confusion about which

departments are line department and which are staff or service department.

Line and Staff have different characteristics. 1. Staff people is contrast to line as, Young, better educated, more articulate, ambitious,

restless, etc. Another is, staff people are professional critics.

Line - Staff View Point

A. The Line View Point against line :- Unauthorized encroachment. Academic advice. Staff steals credits. Staff fails to see the whole picture. Empire Building tendencies.

B. The Staff View Point against line :- Line does not use staff properly. Line resists new ideas. Line does not provide staff enough authority.

Improving Line – Staff Relationship

A. Clarity in relationships.

B. Acceptance of staff advice.

C. An informed staff

D. Completed staff work.