An organizational structure with direct, clear lines of authority and communication flowing from the top managers downward.

• A. Line Organization
• B. Line-and-Staff Organization
• C. Functional Departmentalization
• D. Geographic Departmentalization

Answer: (A)

A line organization is defined by a simple, direct chain of command where authority flows straight from top managers down to every level of the organization. This creates clear accountability and fast, unambiguous communication because each person reports to a single supervisor and understands who is responsible for decisions. In this setup there’s little to no intermediary advisory layer, so instructions and authority move downward in a straightforward vertical path.

If you picture line-and-staff, you’d have additional specialists who advise line managers, which adds layers of input and softens the pure downward flow. Functional departmentalization groups roles by functions like marketing or finance rather than by a single vertical line of authority, which can complicate direct command and make cross-functional coordination more challenging. Geographic departmentalization organizes around locations, which still can preserve vertical authority within regions but isn’t defined by a single, unbroken top-to-bottom command line. The description best matches the line structure because of the explicit, unbroken downward flow of authority.