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Technology And Span Of Control: Woodward Revisited

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  • Paul D. Collins
  • Frank Hull

Abstract

This study of production operations in 95 New Jersey manufacturing firms explains the widely replicated curvilinear relationship between first line supervisory span of control and Woodward's technological complexity scale. Revisiting Woodward led to the initial proposition that the relationship was a by‐product of the differing degree of task variability among the major types of production operations. A subsequent literature review of administrative requirements suggested the importance of size, complexity and automaticity on supervisory span of control. Our data indicate that variations in the span of control of production operations classified according to Woodward's scale are attributable to the underlying effects of size and task complexity. Technology, whether operationalized as Woodward's production types or automaticity of machinery explained little variation in the span of control of first line supervisors.

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  • Paul D. Collins & Frank Hull, 1986. "Technology And Span Of Control: Woodward Revisited," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(2), pages 143-164, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:23:y:1986:i:2:p:143-164
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.1986.tb00417.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Fang, Edward Aihua & Wu, Qizhi & Miao, Chaowei & Xia, Jiansheng & Chen, Dezhi, 2013. "The impact of new product & operations technological practices on organization structure," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(2), pages 733-742.
    2. Hensellek, Simon & Kleine-Stegemann, Lucas & Kollmann, Tobias, 2023. "Entrepreneurial leadership, strategic flexibility, and venture performance: Does founders' span of control matter?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

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