Which term refers to the line of authority that extends from one level of an organization's hierarchy to the next, from top to bottom, clarifying who reports to whom?

• A. Chain of Command
• B. Committee Structure
• C. Span of Control
• D. Matrix Structure

Answer: (A)

Clarifying who reports to whom within an organization relies on the chain of command—the formal line of authority that runs from the top to the bottom. This structure establishes who is responsible to whom, guiding decision-making, communication, and accountability so everyone knows their place in the reporting pyramid. It helps prevent confusion and ensures that directives flow through the proper channels.

Committee structure, on the other hand, deals with how groups are formed to govern tasks or make decisions, not the ongoing vertical reporting relationships. Span of control is about how many direct reports a manager has, which affects supervision load but doesn’t define the actual reporting line from top to bottom. Matrix structure involves dual or multiple reporting lines across different dimensions (like function and project), which creates more than a single chain of command rather than a single clear line.

So the term that fits best is chain of command.