How is the Principle of ‘Unity of Command’ useful to management? Explain briefly.
Unity of command means that subordinate members of a company should all be responsible to a single commander.Unity of command provides that an employee is responsible to only one supervisor, who in turn is responsible to only one supervisor, and so on in the organizational hierarchy. This is true even if the top of the organization is headed by a group of people. For example, imagine that you are the CEO of a technology firm in Silicon Valley. While your company's board of directors controls policy making and strategic planning, under the concept of unity of command, you answer only to the chairman of the board, not all members of the board. The principle of ‘Unity of Command’ useful In a firm or a business organisation , because of the following reasons given in the below:
(I) Authority responsibility and relationship is clearly mentioned.
(II) Discipline and order maintained.
(III) Subordinates are known for whom they are accountable.
According to Fayol there should be one and only one boss for every employee. If an employee receives orders from two superiors at the same time, the principle of unity of command is violated. The principle of unity of command states that each participant in a formal organization should receive orders from only one superior and be responsible.
Fayol attached great importance to this theory. He felt that if this principle is violated, "authority is undermined, discipline is at risk, system is broken and stability is at risk". The doctrine resembles military organization. Dual subordination should be avoided. This is to prevent confusion about what is to be done.
(I) Authority responsibility and relationship is clearly mentioned.
(II) Discipline and order maintained.
(III) Subordinates are known for whom they are accountable.
According to Fayol there should be one and only one boss for every employee. If an employee receives orders from two superiors at the same time, the principle of unity of command is violated. The principle of unity of command states that each participant in a formal organization should receive orders from only one superior and be responsible.
Fayol attached great importance to this theory. He felt that if this principle is violated, "authority is undermined, discipline is at risk, system is broken and stability is at risk". The doctrine resembles military organization. Dual subordination should be avoided. This is to prevent confusion about what is to be done.