The number of subordinates that report directly to a single supervisor is ________.

span of supervision
span of activity
span of business
span of organizing

The correct answer is A. span of supervision.

The span of supervision is the number of subordinates that report directly to a single supervisor. It is also known as the span of control or the span of management. The span of supervision is an important consideration in organizational design, as it affects the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.

A narrow span of supervision means that each supervisor has a small number of subordinates. This can lead to more direct supervision and control, but it can also lead to increased workload for supervisors and decreased communication between supervisors and subordinates.

A wide span of supervision means that each supervisor has a large number of subordinates. This can lead to decreased direct supervision and control, but it can also lead to increased communication between supervisors and subordinates and decreased workload for supervisors.

The optimal span of supervision depends on a number of factors, including the nature of the work, the skills and abilities of the supervisors, and the level of technology used in the organization.

Option B, span of activity, is the range of activities that a person or group is responsible for. Option C, span of business, is the range of products or services that a company offers. Option D, span of organizing, is the process of creating and maintaining a structure for an organization.