span (noun, span, \ ˈspæn \ control (noun, con-trol, \ kənˈtroʊl \))
Definition: is most prevalently used in the sphere of business management, peculiarly in the human resource scope. The term signifies the number of subordinates, whom a supervisor or a manager can control directly. Each manager’s span of control will directly impact the organization’s or a company’s cost structure and the decision-making process and time. A larger span of control will allow for the reduced number of management levels and will lead to a flatter inner structure of an organization. Lower span of control will imply more layers of organization and management.
In a Sentence:
- The manager’s span of control was vast enough to let him make a great impact on almost all the staff members during that busy promotion month.
- My supervisor actually has a rather large span of control. She handles our department and the third floor as well.
Synonyms and related terms: management ratio, optimal span of control, management system, human resources, manager, sphere of influence, authority, area of activity
