Explain the term span of control.

Span of control refers to the number of subordinates reporting directly to a manager. There are two classifications which are wide span of control and narrow span of control.  Wide span has many subordinates under one manager's control and is suitable for firms where employees do not require close supervision or employees are highly skilled in their work. This structure stimulates creativity. A good example is a call center. On the other hand, narrow span of control refers to a case where a manager has few subordinates reporting directly to them and is suitable for firm's whose jobs where safety is very important or employees are still learning and require constant supervision. Here there is less pressure on employees. An example is a department that handles sensitive customer information.