DEFENSE FORCE SPORT ADMINSTRATION HIERARCHY

1. Introduction
Defense Force Sport Club is an Ethiopian football club based in the city of Addis Ababa (1). They play in
the Ethiopian Higher League, the second division of professional football in Ethiopia (Ethiopia, (2021). The team,
formerly named Army SC and Mechal SC, is the second most decorated club in Ethiopian football history
behind Saint George (Takele, et al, (2021)).

1.1 Defense Force Sport club Work Specialization

1.2 Defense Force Sport club Departmentalization

1.3 Defense Force Sport club chain of command

1.4 Defense Force Sport club span of control

The span of control shows how many subordinates a manager is responsible for. When managers or supervisors have
many subordinates, we call it a wide span of control. On the other side, if they have fewer subordinates, we call it a
narrow span of control. How wide the span of control is affected by the organizational structure. For example, a tall
organizational structure has a narrower span of control than a flat organizational structure because it involves more
layers in the organizational hierarchy level.

1.4.1 Why is the span of control important?

The span of control is important because it affects the institution/organization effectiveness in managing the
institution/organization. For example, it impacts flexibility and communication within the organization. When the
span of control is wider, communication flows more quickly between levels, enabling faster decision-making. In
addition, organizations have fewer layers, so messages take less time to get from the lowest level to the top level or
vice versa.
In addition, the span of control also affects workload and delegation. When managers have more subordinates to
manage, their workload is heavier. Thus, managers should delegate more because it is impossible to rely on
themselves to make all decisions. Instead, they take part in more strategic aspects. Meanwhile, subordinates play a
role in making fewer essential decisions. Finally, delegation can lead to job satisfaction. Subordinates feel the
manager trusts them, encouraging them to perform better. It can also lead to constructive feedback and better
collaboration between them.

1.4.2 What are the types of the span of control?

The span of control is broadly divided into two categories: wide span of control and narrow span of control.
1.4.2.1 Wide span of control
Wide span of control is common for institutions/organization/companies with flat organizational structures. This is
because fewer layers are involved between top to bottom levels. Thus, the chain of command is short.
For example, a company may have two levels of authority, namely only the director and the manager as division
head. The manager supervises 6 employees. Each employee will be responsible and report to the manager, who in
turn will report to the director.
1.4.2.1.1 Characteristics of a wide span of control
 More responsibility. One manager manages many subordinates.
 Short structure. The organizational structure involves a few layers.
 Heavier workload. Managers have to supervise many subordinates.
 More delegates. Managers may seek to reduce workload through delegation.
 Decentralized authority. Managers trust subordinates to make decisions.
 Less level of authority. Decision-making involves a short chain of command to get to the top level more
quickly.
 Common in young companies. They have few employees, and therefore their organization size is small.
1.4.2.1.2 Advantages of wide span of control
Faster communication and coordination. Information from the lowest level gets to the top-level (or vice
versa) faster because fewer layers are involved. It allows for quick coordination and decision-making.

Higher motivation. Managers delegate less essential decision-making to employees. It can lead to high
job satisfaction and motivation as employees are more involved in making decisions about their work.

Work flexibility. Managers reduce oversight of their subordinates through delegation. And they place
high trust in subordinates and are expected to act according to their expectations.
Lower costs. Managers supervise more people. So, companies need fewer managers and layers in the
organizational structure.

More delegates. The span of control is wider, and the manager is responsible for more subordinates.
Indeed, it makes their work heavier. But, on the other hand, it should encourage managers to delegate
more because it is impossible to do all the important work on their own.

Job satisfaction. With more delegation, employees can make more decisions on their own. It can be more
effective because they understand the problems in their job better than the manager. Combined with more
autonomy, they have the freedom to manage their working life, leading to higher job satisfaction.

Disadvantages of wide span of control

Decreased productivity. Managers manage many subordinates, and not all managers have the quality to
do so. That can place a heavier workload, lowering their productivity.

Bad decision. Delegation allows employees to make decisions. However, they may not be good decision-
makers even though they are experts in their fields. In the end, they may make the wrong decision.

Losing control. It is difficult to control all the subordinates. Bad decisions by employees can stress
managers out. In addition, individual decisions may not be well-coordinated and tend to be random and
undirected. Finally, it requires more managerial intervention to guide, increasing the manager’s workload.

Less effective communication. Communication messages may arrive faster, but the quality may be poor.
That’s because managers need to convey it to a lot of people. And not all understand; each may have its
own interpretation.

Narrow span of control

Under a narrow span of control, managers have fewer subordinates to supervise. This is common in tall
structure companies involving more levels or layers.
For example, a company has three levels of authority: directors, division heads, and managers. The
division head oversees three managers. Meanwhile, the manager is responsible for two subordinates.

Characteristics of narrow span of control

 Less responsibility. One manager manages a few subordinates.

 Long structure. The organizational structure involves many layers.

 Less workload. Managers have to supervise and manage a few subordinates, leading to tight
control.

 Fewer delegates. Managers may try to make decisions independently and delegate less to
employees.

 Centralized authority. Decisions are concentrated at higher levels, where the higher the level, the
higher the decision-making power.

 Longer levels of authority. Decision-making involves a long chain of command, so it can be

slower to get to the top level or vice versa.

 Common in established companies. They have many employees, and therefore the size of their
organization is large.

Advantages of narrow span of control

More control. Managers can supervise better because they supervise fewer subordinates. In addition, to
reduce tighter supervision, they may use a more personal approach, which is more likely to be done with
fewer subordinates.

Better productivity. The manager’s workload is less due to supervising fewer subordinates. In addition,
decision-making is distributed over more layers. That should lead to higher performance and productivity.

Better decision. Managers take a more dominant role in making decisions than employees. Thus, they can
make better, more coordinated decisions than delegating them to employees.
More effective communication. Fewer subordinates allow for higher quality communication and
feedback. As a result, managers can more effectively convey messages to or accommodate their
aspirations.

Disadvantages of narrow span of control

Lowers morale. If managers supervise too closely, it can demoralize employees. A personal approach
may be effective in some cases to prevent that. But, not all managers have the quality to do it.

Greater cost. Companies need more managers to supervise fewer employees. Thus, it consumes a larger
cost.

Slower communication and coordination. Communication quality may be good under a narrow span of
control. But, it can take more time to get from the lowest to the top-level (or vice versa) because it has to
go through many layers. As a result, decision-making at the top level tends to be slow (Ahmad Nasrudin
(2022).

Defense Force Sport club centralization

What’s it: Centralization is a hierarchical decision-making structure in which company executives retain

authority and have full control over decision-making. It contrasts to decentralization, where upper
management delegates it to lower levels and gives them more autonomy.
Several factors influence it, including organizational size, managers’ quality at each level, and
management style.

Centralization allows for independent and controlled decision making. Subordinates only need to follow
directions from top management.
But, it can lead to demotivation. Subordinates feel the company is not empowering them since they cannot
participate actively in making decisions about their work.

Why is centralization important?

Decentralization and centralization are two approaches in legitimizing decision-making in companies.

Under a decentralized structure, managers share decision-making. Top managers make core strategic
decisions; others are left to lower managers.

The decentralized structure allows for faster decision-making. For example, suppose a problem occurs at a
lower level. In that case, it doesn’t have to be brought to the top management for a decision. Instead,
lower-level managers can make decisions. That can save time, especially if the decision hierarchy involves
multiple layers.

Decentralization also allows for better employee participation. They are likely to be motivated and excited
about having the opportunity to make decisions about their work.

However, decentralization comes with some risks. First, subordinates may make mistakes a lot. They may
be experts in their field. However, they may not be good decision-makers. And, they may need more
training or experience before they can become effective decision-makers.

Another drawback is inconsistency. What subordinates decide may be contrary to the manager’s wishes.
That could be a problem and, perhaps, lead to disharmony in their relationship.

Decisions can also be uncoordinated. For example, each subordinate makes their own decisions. Thus, the
results tend to be random and undirected.

And, centralization is important to address such problems. In addition, top managers can make more
independent decisions. They don’t have to consult the managers under them.
In addition, decisions can be more directed and not random. It allows subordinates to move in the same
mode without being busy making their own decisions.

How does centralization work?

Centralization emphasizes concentrated decision-making in several positions. Top managers have the
highest decision-making power.

How it is implemented can vary between companies. For example, top-level managers become decision-
makers. Meanwhile, middle-level managers only have operating authority. Meanwhile, lower managers
carry out every directive from above. And, all decisions from lower levels must obtain approval from
higher levels.

Because it relies on a few people to make decisions, leadership qualities are vital. It determines how
effective the organization is. But, of course, poor quality makes organizations ineffective.

A common example is a small business. Take a sole proprietorship as a case. The owner is responsible for
the entire organization. He makes all the decisions about the business, from marketing to production.

Subordinates must report to him when they want to make a decision. And they don’t have the flexibility to
do it. And, they can only do so if they get instructions and orders from him.

What are the factors that affect centralization?

Some companies tend towards centralization. While others are more towards decentralization. It all
depends on several factors, including:

 Cost

 Organization size

 Management style
  Quality managers at every level

 Geographical spread

 Business environment

Cost. Centralization allows for fewer costs. On the other hand, decentralization consumes more costs,
including risks, if subordinates make the wrong decisions. So, if companies want to save costs, they may
choose centralization.

Take decisions about procurement as an example. When centralized, the company can buy in bulk,
allowing it to get discounts from suppliers.

Conversely, if each department or unit does it separately, it is difficult to get a discount. Finally, the
company does not benefit from purchasing economies of scale.

Organizational size. Large companies tend to be more decentralized. Operation is more complex. Thus, it
is almost impossible to make all decisions under a few people.

Management style. Authoritarian leadership tends to lead to centralization. In contrast, decentralization is

common under a democratic leadership style in which subordinates participate more in making decisions.

Quality managers at every level. When quality is more evenly distributed at the middle and lower levels,
decentralization may be a good fit. They can be effective decision-makers. Thus, top managers trust them
and delegate more decisions.

Geographical spread. When operating in multiple geographic areas, companies rely more on

decentralization. Branch or unit offices are more aware of problems in their area than the head office. So,
giving them the authority to make decisions is better.
Business environment. Dynamic business environments often require more decentralization. Companies
must make quick local decisions. Thus, top managers are more likely to delegate authority and decision-
making.

What are the advantages of centralization?

Greater control. Top managers have more power to make decisions about allocating the company’s
resources. They also have more control over employees.

Consistent decisions. Decisions are more consistent because few people have the authority to do so, i.e.,
centralized in top managers. Thus, it will be consistent across all departments or divisions.

Good business image. The company can maintain a unified business image because decisions are taken
consistently. Consistency is important, especially when a company faces a crisis and faces the public.

Easier communication. Centralization requires less employee involvement. Thus, top managers can make
decisions at their discretion.

Unity towards the goal. Top managers make decisions. And, lower management can focus on executing
those decisions without too much deliberation.

Order in business. Management encourages employees to obey and not to deviate. It creates order and
smooth operation within the organization.

Saving money. Centralization minimizes problems due to duplication and extra work. A good example is
the procurement case above, allowing companies to achieve economies of scale from purchasing.

A clear chain of command. Everyone knows who has the authority to make decisions. As a result, there
will be no overlap or confusion in decision-making. And a clear chain of command is even more important
when companies have to make unified decisions.
Focused operation. The company can fulfill its vision easily. Top managers make strategic decisions and
set goals. Meanwhile, middle and lower managers implement it. Thus, operations throughout the company
move towards and focus on the stated goals.

Maintained quality. Top managers rely on standard procedures and rules to ensure subordinate
compliance. Thus, their output is uniform with quality according to standards.

What are the disadvantages of centralization?

Demotivating. The subordinates were discouraged because they were not empowered. They cannot
participate in making decisions related to their work.

Low retention. Demotivation can lead to high employee turnover. In addition, employees are disloyal to
the company because they do not have the opportunity to actualize personal initiative.

Low creativity. Subordinates are less involved. Thus, it leads to no new ideas and perspectives being
brought into the management system.

Bet for success. Organizational success depends on how qualified the leader is. If they are not good
decision-makers, it can be fatal.

Organizational rigidity. Subordinates may feel like machines that can be used and directed according to
the leader’s needs.

Slow decision. Problems at the lower level have to go through several layers to get to the top to be
decided. And it spends more time to reach the intended person. Thus, the problem can become more acute
before a decision is made. This negative effect can be significant for companies operating in several
geographically dispersed locations.
Undeveloped competencies. Centralization prevents subordinates from developing their competencies.
They have no opportunity to develop themselves with the skills associated with taking on more authority.
In the end, they can’t be good decision-makers.

Business interruption. When the key manager exits, it can interfere with operations. The successor may
not be ready to replace them effectively. And, the subordinates are not equipped with adequate
competence, so they are not ready to replace him.

Heavy workload. Corporate executives are under tremendous pressure. They have to spend a lot of time
formulating decisions for the company.

Good decision, bad implementation. Executives spend more time handling decisions. Finally, less time
to oversee how decisions are implemented at lower levels. Finally, without an effective control system,
many decisions are poorly implemented or ignored by subordinates (Ahmad Nasrudin (2022).

Defense Force Sport club formalization

Reference
 Ahmad Nasrudin (2022), Span of Control: Importance, Types, Advantages, Disadvantages,
Updated on April 16, 2022
 (Ahmad Nasrudin (2022) Centralization: Importance, How it Works, Determinants, Pros, Cons,
Updated on July 4, 2022
 Ethiopia 2006/07". rsssf. Archived from the original on 2007-01-05. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
 Takele, Tewodros (June 11, 2021). "መከላከያ ስፖርት ክለብ ሲምፖዚም አካሂዷል". Soccer
Ethiopia

DEFENSE FORCE SPORT ADMINSTRATION HIERARCHY

OVERALL, SPORT GOVERNING BODY

TECHNICAL STUFFS
 Athletics
Team

 Team Leaders
 Technique Director
 Events’ Coaches
 Athletes
 Physiotherapist