Command hierarchy: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 09:43, 15 July 2021

Revision as of 02:39, 14 September 2021

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In addition, within [[combat]] units, [[line officer]]s are in the chain of command, but staff officers in specialist fields (such as medical, dental, legal, supply, and [[chaplain]]) are not, except within their own specialty. For example, a medical officer in an [[infantry]] [[battalion]] would be responsible for the [[combat medics]] in that unit but would not be eligible to command the battalion or any of its subordinate units.

The term is also used in a [[civilian]] [[management]] context describing comparable [[hierarchical]] structures of authority. Such structures are included in Fire Departments, Police Departments, and other organizations that have a paramilitary command or power structure.

==Sociology==

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Regardless of the degree of control or results achieved, and regardless of how the hierarchy is justified and rationalized, certain aspects of a command hierarchy tend to be similar:

* rank – especially [[military rank]] – "who outranks whom" in the [[power structure]]

* unity of command – each member of the hierarchy has one and only one superior, precluding the possibility of contradictory orders

* strict [[accountability]] – those who issue orders are responsible for the consequences, not those who carry them out

* strict [[feedback]] rules – complaints go up the hierarchy to those with power to deal with them, not down to those who do not have that power

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In part to address these problems, much modern [[management science]] has focused on reducing reliance on command hierarchy especially for [[information flow]], since the cost of communications is now low, and the cost of management mistakes is higher. It is also easier to replace [[Management|managers]], so they have a personal interest in more distributed responsibility and perhaps more [[consensus decision making]].

Ubiquitous command and control posits for military organizations, a generalisation from hierarchies to networks whichthat allows for the use of hierarchies when they are appropriate, and non-hierarchical networks when they are inappropriate. This includes the notion of ''mission agreement'', to support "edge in" as well as "top-down" flow of intent.

==See also==