Lesson 1.3.2

1.3.2 Structural Characteristics Quiz: NCFE Business & Enterprise, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Organisational structure describes how a business arranges its people into levels. This lesson explains tall and flat structures, chain of command, span of control and delegation, and weighs the speed, cost, promotion and support trade-offs that come with each shape, including what delayering changes.

Key points

  • The chain of command is the formal reporting line from the top of a business to the bottom.
  • Span of control is the number of staff who report directly to one manager.
  • A tall structure has many levels and narrow spans, so each manager looks after only a few people.
  • Messages in a tall structure travel slowly and can be distorted as they pass through each level.
  • A flat structure has few levels and wide spans, giving faster communication but less support from busy managers.
  • Tall structures offer more rungs on the promotion ladder, so staff can move up in smaller steps.
  • Delegation passes a task and its authority to a subordinate, freeing managers' time and building the employee's skills.

Key terms

Hierarchy
The levels of authority in a business, arranged from the top down.
Chain of command
The line of authority showing who answers to whom through the levels of a business.
Span of control
The number of subordinates reporting directly to a single manager.
Tall structure
An organisation with many management levels and narrow spans of control.
Flat structure
An organisation with few management levels and wide spans of control.
Delegation
Handing a task, with the authority to complete it, to someone lower in the hierarchy.
Delayering
Removing a level of management to cut costs and shorten the chain of command.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which feature is typical of a tall organisational structure?

    • Few management layers
    • Wide span
    • Fast communication
    • Narrow span

  2. What does a manager do when delegating a task?

    • Retains total blame
    • Promotes the employee
    • Passes work down
    • Avoids all accountability

  3. Why do messages reach shop-floor staff quickly in a flat structure?

    • Wider spans
    • More managers
    • Larger budgets
    • Fewer layers

  4. What does the chain of command show in an organisation?

    • Production steps
    • Wage levels
    • Reporting lines
    • Office locations

  5. What must a manager do when their span of control widens significantly?

    • Reduce staff pay
    • Close branches
    • Delegate more work
    • Remove layers

  6. What is a key staff benefit of receiving delegated tasks?

    • Guaranteed promotion
    • Shorter hours
    • Higher tax
    • Improved motivation

  7. What is a main advantage of delegation for a manager?

    • Frees up time
    • Cuts staff numbers
    • Increases salary
    • Removes accountability

  8. What does a manager's span of control measure?

    • Sales targets
    • Factory size
    • Working hours
    • Subordinates overseen

  9. What is a common disadvantage of a tall organisational structure?

    • Wide spans
    • Distorted messages
    • Instant decisions
    • High wage costs

  10. What is the primary effect of delayering an organisation?

    • Faster decisions
    • Slower communication
    • Increased overheads
    • Longer chains

  11. What type of business structure features eight levels of management?

    • Tall structure
    • Functional structure
    • Flat structure
    • Matrix structure

  12. What is typical for a manager's span of control in a tall structure?

    • Narrow span
    • Zero span
    • Dynamic span
    • Wide span

  13. What is a major drawback of a long chain of command?

    • Too much delegation
    • High wage costs
    • Slow communication
    • Wide span

  14. How does a tall structure affect employee promotion opportunities?

    • Zero progression
    • Fewer steps
    • More layers
    • Instant promotion

  15. Which feature best describes a flat organisational structure?

    • Many levels
    • Narrow span
    • Wide span
    • Long chain

  16. What is a common risk of a very wide span of control?

    • Less staff support
    • Excessive layers
    • Reduced autonomy
    • Slow communication

  17. Why can a business with a short chain of command react quickly?

    • Wider spans
    • Fast message travel
    • Lower wages
    • More management

  18. A business closes a whole layer of middle management to cut costs. What is this called?

    • Delayering
    • Delegation
    • Centralisation
    • Outsourcing

  19. What does business delegation involve passing to a subordinate?

    • Sole ownership
    • Business shares
    • Ultimate accountability
    • Task and authority

  20. What is a key benefit of a manager delegating tasks?

    • Eliminates wages
    • Cuts hierarchy
    • Saves management time
    • Removes all stress

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