official hierarchy of authority that dictates who is in charge of whom within the organization. 4 process of organizing employees into groups or units to accomplish specific organizational goals. 3 organization with few layers of management between the executive level and the lowest level. 7 the levels of management within a business organization, from the lowest to the highest. 5 organizational structure that combines employees from different parts of the organization; often used for special projects. 6 the number of subordinates under the direct control of a manager or supervisor. 1 organization with multiple layers of management between top executives and front-line employees.