ABSTRACT
The very phrase "staff-line" is a focus of dispute among students of management. Some theorists accept the distinction, but contend that the staff role should be sharpened and that staff personnel in any case should occupy a clearly subordinate position in management. Against this view some students argue that staff personnel, as products of our competitive society, cannot be expected to function as "shrinking violets." This chapter focuses on the "human aspects" of line and staff relations in twelve companies found only one in which both groups of personnel appeared to know "exactly what to expect of each other." An unofficial role of staff officers at Milo was to assist higher line executives in learning of irregularities at the production level. As method refiners and technique formulators, the staffs are really specialists in change and reorganization. The chapter discusses the chief points of difference making for personality clashes: education, age, professional consciousness, and social distinctions.
