SEM/ICS Management - Essay Example

SEM/ICS Management Span of Control I believe that a span of management of 3 to 5 persons to be the most effective span of control during a response to a disaster. This is important so as to limit the amount of resources and responsibilities that is being managed by any single individual. This therefore means that a single manager should not have more than 5 people working under him/her at any given particular time. Thus if more than 5 resources are being managed by a single manager, then it is obvious that the manager is being overloaded.

This would call for the command structure to be increased and or expanded by delegation of responsibilities. For instance this would involve; definition of new divisions, sections or task forces. In the case when they are fewer than 3, then the given position’s authority can most likely be absorbed by the subsequent highest rung in the command chain (Amanda, 2009).2. This recommended span of control (1; 3 or 5) would not result in too many leaders, because there is always a variation with the kind job or incident that has taken place.

If for instance the job requires close supervision, then this is the ideal kind of control that is required. Thus a proper practical span of control has got much to do with many core elements associated with a particular organization. A practical span of control is at times quite subjective, since there is a great deal of several opinions ranging from what is too little, maybe too much or just the correct quantity of control in a given department. Span of control is also dependent on the kind of assignment involved (Amanda, 2009).

For example, specialized units like intelligence, training, SWAT and vice favor smaller span of control, ideally because these units are highly specialized. Such kinds of units need much closer control or personnel with suitable experience, who by extension may have supervisory rank as well. In smaller departments, having such kind of control means that the supervisor would also be directly involved in answering calls of service as well as supervising other officers. This kind of control also enhances the possibility of one being promoted.

Finally, span of control is very important to efficient and effective management of any department especially within ICS (Troy, 2014).References