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So, many layers are bad, but large span is also. This means you are limiting both width and depth of the management tree, effectively limiting the total size of
by sooyoo 4y ago
So, many layers are bad, but large span is also. This means you are limiting both width and depth of the management tree, effectively limiting the total size of the workforce to ... a few hundred? That doesn't sound right.
- mrandish 4y ago> That doesn't sound right. IMHO, it's correct but that doesn't mean it's good or desirable that things tend to bog down in wider / deeper org structures. Maintaining high efficiency and effectiveness in large org structures is hard to do and that's why the exceptions are notable and worth studying.
- lokimedes 4y agoSeparation of concerns also applies to organizations. You may see huge companies, but where business areas, divisions, product lines etc. work in isolation just fine. At the strategic level, things are steered like a mix of governmental and portfolio management, effectively abstracting the differences between the lower layers away. To study single-mission mega projects, the classics are the Manhattan Project, the Apollo missions and the first ICBM systems. The management of these projects were awe inspiring.