Line & Staff Functions
Understanding organisational authority, specialist roles, and the conflicts between them.
Vertex Corp — Organisational Crisis
Vertex Corp is a mid-sized manufacturer with £12m annual turnover. They have recently promoted several managers, but nobody is clear on who has authority over whom. The Sales Manager wants to fire a team member immediately. The HR Manager says the process must be followed. The IT Manager wants to enforce a company-wide security policy. The CEO has asked you — the Head of Strategy — to clarify the boundaries between Line and Staff functions before the conflict costs the company.
🎯 What You'll Master Today
Define Line vs Staff functions with precision.
Classify real roles into the correct function.
Trace the chain of consequence when conflict arises.
Judge when Staff authority can override Line — and why.
⚠️ Examiner Trap: Students often assume Staff can "order" Line. Staff ADVISES. The exception is Functional Authority — and that only applies within the Staff's specialist domain.
Sign In to Keep Going
You've reached the end of the free preview. Sign in — and upgrade to Plus or Pro — to keep going with Business0960.
Full Access
Unlock all 180 lessons