Unity of Command

266 Words2 Pages
Unity of command This principle requires each element of an organization to be under one boss. No one in the project organization should have more than one boss to whom he or she is accountable. This helps prevent conflicting orders and instructions. However, this principle is purposely violated in a matrix environment (to be discussed later), which is typical for large projects where project team members get directions from project managers and their home base functional managers. This principle is often violated when an individual attempts to meet the conflicting requirements of various staff functions in addition to those of a direct supervisor for project tasks. Parity in authority and responsibility The main theme of this principle is that a person responsible for doing a certain task must be given sufficient authority to do it or to get it done by others. This is an important principle for project managers or task managers wishing to delegate responsibilities to other project participants in order to be able to concentrate their own efforts. Proper delegation enables managers to advance and also provides training and growth opportunities for the individuals to whom the tasks are delegated. However, many project organizations create situations where responsibility is not commensurate with authority. Scaler principle (chain of command) According to this principle, which is related to unity of com.rnapd, a clear, unbroken line of authority should run from the top to the gf an organization. It implies that all members in the organization wm nicate with each other by "going through the proper channels," i.e., following the chain of
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