Lyn- en staforganisasie as bestuursprobleem met enkele toepassings

Abstract

The essential purpose of this study is to identify line and and staff personnel in the organization1 to see which roles they play in organizations and the problems with which they have to contend. All theoretical ideas are related to practice. It would be unwise to study the role of line and staff members without looking at the division of work (labour) in the organization and establishing a logical organization structure. The various functions which must be performed to accomplish the objectives of the enterprise should be so assigned as to obtain the greatest possible advantage from the division of labour. Work should therefore be so divided that the incumbent of a position should be able to become a specialist and increase his knowledge on the particular job assigned to him. At the same time he should have an awareness of the interrelationship between his functions, those of his colleagues and those of the organization as a whole. The organization structure is rarely an acute problem while the company is small and young. As the numbers of people increase, there is a growing tendency to perform work that is unimportant in itself or has little relationship with the basic purpose of the enterprise. From this stage, the need to develop a sound organization structure becomes critical. METHOD Concerning the method used in this study, articles, books were used as a basis. A few larger enterprises such as !scar and Unilever were visited for a more practical study. CLASSIFICATION Chapter I deals with the objectives, extent and method of the study. Chapter II deals with the division of labour and forms a basis for identifying line and staff personnel. The purpose is to maintain a sound line-staff relationship. Chapter III discusses the organization structure. Important in this instance is the use of an organization chart. Chapter IV is focussed on identifying line and staff functions. Chapter V discusses line and staff departments, in particular the different types of staff. Chapter VI deals with line and staff relationships. Attention is also given to identifying these relationships and what should be done to have sound relationships. Chapter VII applies to management control of conflict between line and staff. Reference is made to the origin of conflict areas and methods of solving these problems. Chapter VIII deals with education of both line and staff personnel to ensure that these two groups work most effectively

together in accomplishing objectives. FINDING Training of line and staff personnel is essential to accomplish goals and objectives. Training programmes will have to be initiated by top management. During such training all problems will be discussed between line and staff members. Counselling is also a method to be used. During the counsel= ling interview the subordinate will frequently bring up points which the superior had not known about or had overlooked. Participation in the educational process is very important. Line and staff members must keep contact with one another, work together, have respect for each other both as human beings and as members of the same enterprise.