1. Discuss three fundamental organizational underpinnings---authority, chain of command, and span of management (span of authority). Use your organization or one that you are familiar with to give examples. Authority is the right to direct others or give orders. Span of management is the scope of supervision, or the number of people who report to a single manager. Chain of command is a chain of authority flowing downward from top-level management to subordinate managers (Dunn, 2012, p. 215). I used to work as an EMT/Firefighter. In a fire department chain of command is very much followed. The chief managers the department and employees, this is an example of span of authority. The chief answers to the township board. Chain of command from top to bottom in our department was as followed, chief, assistant chief, captain, lieutenant, senior firefighter, probationary firefighter, and cadet. Cadets and probationary could come to senior firefighters with questions or for advice although senior firefighters had no real authority in the department. Each officer had more responsibilities and authority the further up the ladder you went. If I, as a senior firefighter, had an issue I would take it to on of my lieutenants, who would then either come up with a solution or take it to the next officers meeting to get insight from the other officers and chief.

2. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of departmentalization within an organization. Name and describe two methods that an organization can use to departmentalize an organization. Give an example of each method using your organization or one that you are familiar with. Well an advantage I can think of is organization. By having different departments everything is more organized it is easier to get work done. A disadvantage is that there may be a lack of communication. One method a department can be formed is