In Mintzberg's Organisational Structure, what is The Middle Line?

• A. Heads of Departments
• B. The Operating Core
• C. Performs the management functions
• D. Support Staff

Answer: (C)

In Mintzberg's model, the middle line is the layer of managers who sit between top management and the workers who actually produce the output. Their main job is to carry out management functions—planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and controlling—to translate strategic ideas into day-to-day actions. They supervise the operating core, ensuring work gets done in a way that aligns with overall goals and feeding information up to the strategic apex. While heads of departments can be titles within this layer, the defining role of the middle line is performing those management activities that connect strategy with execution. The operating core are the workers; the technostructure includes analysts and specialists who design systems; the support staff provide ancillary services.