Which term denotes the authority that allows an HR manager to direct the activities of people in their own department and service areas (such as a plant cafeteria)?

• A. Authority
• B. Line Authority
• C. Staff Authority
• D. Embedded HR teams

Answer: (B)

Line authority is the formal power to direct the work of subordinates who directly contribute to the organization’s outputs. Here, the HR manager directing people within their own department and service areas, such as a plant cafeteria, fits that idea because those workers perform tasks that advance the unit’s goals and report through the HR or departmental chain. The manager can assign duties, set priorities, and enforce performance for those positions.

Staff authority, by contrast, is about providing specialized advice and support without giving direct command over line workers. Embedded HR teams describe a structural arrangement where HR staff work inside business units, not a type of authority. A generic term like authority is too vague to capture who can direct which workers, so line authority best describes this scenario.