What is the Einlinien-System (pure line organization), and what are its strengths and weaknesses?

Each employee has exactly one superior; authority flows in a single unbroken line from top to bottom.

* Einlinien-System — a single unbroken line of command; every person has exactly one superior. *

The structure: top leadership → middle management levels → employees, with unity of command strictly maintained (one boss per person).

Advantages:

• Simplicity — everyone knows exactly who decides
• Clear responsibility and discipline; orderly communication
• Prompt decisions, easy supervision, economical

Disadvantages:

• Lack of specialization — every manager must judge all topics
• Long communication/escalation paths through every level
• Autocratic tendency; overload of the top
• Suited mainly to small organizations

Tip: Also called scalar, military, or vertical organization — the oldest form. For security: in a pure line organization, security expertise must flow through line managers who are generalists — one reason dedicated security staff positions (Stab) were invented.

Go deeper:

• Linienorganisation (Wikipedia DE) — Einlinien- und Mehrliniensystem (Fayol vs. Taylor) mit Vor- und Nachteilen.