Communication · Executive Insight Brief · 235
Every relay needs a reason
Fayol’s scalar chain and gangplank separate the line of authority from the route information should take when vertical relay makes coordination too slow
Premise
Hierarchy solves one communication problem and creates another. A known line of authority clarifies who can decide, where responsibility sits, and how instructions and reports move. Yet interdependent work often cuts across the chart. When every cross-functional issue must travel upward to a common superior and then back down, managers become routing devices and information arrives late.
Henri Fayol’s scalar chain and gangplank expose this design tension. The scalar chain preserves an intelligible vertical line of authority. The gangplank, or passerelle, permits authorized direct communication across that hierarchy when the formal route would be inefficient, while keeping responsible superiors informed.
What the model is: Scalar Chain and Gangplank (chaîne hiérarchique / passerelle) in Knowledge →
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What these mean
Editorial orientation · Family
Model
In this series, Model names the editorial family primarily used to understand and explain communication: theories, frameworks, effects, traditions, principles and other conceptual resources. It is an umbrella for a route into the field, not a claim that every included object is a predictive model.
Editorial orientation · Category
Doctrines, Principles & Normative Frameworks
Sets out principles or criteria for what should be pursued, considered legitimate or done. Its contribution is evaluative or prescriptive: it gives reasons for judging conduct and arrangements, rather than merely describing their frequency.