The organizational structure explains a long chain of command that compares to that of the military. As the organization develops, the number of management levels increases, resulting in a taller structure. Such an entity has many managers from different ranks, with each having a small area of control. In contrast, a flat organizational structure has fewer management levels with each manager controlling a large group (Swanson, Territo and Taylor 83). The latter works by encouraging autonomy and self-direction to maximize the talents of the worker and increase collaboration through teamwork.

As a police manager, I would prefer to have a flat agency for various reasons. Firstly, the model of management presents different opportunities for workers to excel. The leaders have to share research and information concerning an organization. Resultantly, the workers have a stake in all activities ensuing in their area of operation (Swanson, Territo and Taylor 92). Secondly, flat structures encourage faster and consistent communication, particularly if the style of leadership employed is democratic. Further, even though growth and development are fostered, the workload for the managers reduces significantly.

The main cause of tension between line and staff managers is the failure to define the role of each group. In this way, there is lack of accountability as each group relies on the other. Unfortunately, this blind accountability can have negative implications. For instance, line managers might work hard to achieve the organization’s goals while the staff is preoccupied with self-serving activities such as trips abroad (Swanson, Territo and Taylor 203). In the end, the staff takes credit for the results achieved by line people. However, they would not share the results in case of a negative outcome. Such a lack of involvement might cause tension and lead to poor productivity.

Works Cited

Swanson, Charles R, Leonard J Territo, and Robert W Taylor. Police Administration: Structures, Processes, and Behavior. Pearson, 2016.