Line authority definition
/What is Line Authority?
Line authority is the power given to someone in a supervisory position to mandate actions by subordinates. This authority is given so that an organization can attain its stated goals and objectives. It is a common characteristic of the hierarchical organizational structure. Examples of managers within a business who have line authority are the controller, engineering manager, production manager, and sales manager.
Line Authority vs. Staff Authority
The most common type of authority within an organization is line authority, where instructions come through a well-defined chain of command. However, staff authority may also be imposed; this arises when experts provide advice to assist in improving core operations. For example, a directive to produce 3,000 green widgets is an example of line authority, while a directive from a process engineer to adjust a machine setting to reduce the amount of scrap generated during this process is an example of staff authority.