The Importance of Organizing in Health Care Management

Formal organizational theory is based on several major principles. Describe four of these principles.
Authority is the lifeblood of the managerial position, and the delegation or distribution of authority makes the organization come alive. Authority may be line or staff in nature.
The span of management sets limits on the number of subordinates a manager can effectively supervise.
The division of work is essential for efficiency. This may require designing jobs (job or work specialization).
The formal structure is the main network for organizing and managing the various activities of the enterprise. Often this is done through departmentalization.

What is organizational design and how does it relate to the organizing function?
Organizational design - a process involving decisions about such things as work or job specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, span of control, and centralization or decentralization.

Compare and contrast the three types of authority.
Line authority - Formal authority granted by an organization to a supervisor. Reflects existing superior-subordinate relationships in the chain of command, also known as positional authority.
Staff authority - Authority that resides in those with certain expertise who counsel or assist those with line authority. Staff authority is often granted to those in HR, accounting, compliance, materials management, and plant engineering.
Functional authority - Authority given to individuals with expertise in specialized areas and limited to particular situations. Functional authority is advantageous because it allows the maximum effective use of a staff specialist’s expertise, leading to improved operations.

Explain and provide examples of the factors that help determine an effective span of supervision? competence of supervisors--that is, quality of management, experience, and expertise.
The competence and makeup of the subordinates.
The amount and availability of help from