span of control

noun

The number of subordinates directly reporting to a supervisor.

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Meanings

nounspan of control (plural spans of control)

plural spans of control

  1. The number of subordinates directly reporting to a supervisor.

    So they found themselves arguing for the general application of two principles — limited spans of control and a limited number of hierarchical levels — which were mutually inconsistent, above all in the larger organization.

    1984, John Child, Organization: A Guide To Problems and Practice, page 66

Translations

German Leitungsspanne, Führungsspanne
  • Leitungsspannenumber of subordinates
  • Führungsspannenumber of subordinates
  • Lenkungsspannenumber of subordinates
Cite this entry
APA

span of control. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/span%20of%20control

MLA

“span of control.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/span%20of%20control. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “span of control,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/span%20of%20control.

Source: span of control on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.