In classical organization design and general management, the term Span of Control (also known as span of management) refers to:

Definition: Span of Control defines the quantitative ratio of direct reportees to a manager—specifically, the number of employees directly supervised by and accountable to a single executive or manager. Types of Span: Narrow Span: A manager supervises fewer employees, resulting in a tall organizational structure with many vertical levels and close supervision. Wide Span: A manager supervises a large number of employees, resulting in a flat organizational structure with fewer management levels and greater employee autonomy.