Which term describes the hierarchy that defines authority and lines of reporting from top to bottom?

• A. Span of Control
• B. Chain of Command
• C. Organizational Structure
• D. Authority Hierarchy

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is how authority and reporting lines flow from the top of the organization down to the lower levels. The term that captures this explicit hierarchy is the chain of command. It specifies who has decision-making authority, who reports to whom, and the order in which instructions move through the organization, creating clarity and accountability.

Span of control is about how many people a single manager directly supervises, affecting supervision workload rather than the overall reporting structure. Organizational structure refers to the broader design of the organization—how functions and units are arranged—rather than the specific path of authority. Authority hierarchy conveys a similar notion, but chain of command is the conventional, widely used label for formal reporting relationships.