Span of control
Summary
A term originating in military organization theory, but now used more commonly in business management, particularly human resource management, span of control describes the number of subordinates that report to each manager (or to each military officer).
In the hierarchical business organization of the past it was not uncommon to see average spans of 1 to 10 or even less. That is, one manager supervises ten employees on average. In the 1980s there was a flattening of organizational structures causing average spans to move closer to 1 to 100. This was made possible by the introduction of inexpensive information technology that replaced many middle managers (whose main task had been to collect information from operational managers, compile it, and present it to upper management). Computers also made feasible the task of managing larger groups.
An organisation where there is less distance between the higher and lower levels within the hierarchy. This involves a shorter chain of command and usually, a wider span of control.
By the middle of the 19th century people like Robert Owen, H. Poor, and M Laughlin introduced the human element with theories of worker training, motivation, organizational structure and span of control.