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chain of command

The definition of a chain of command is an official hierarchy of authority that dictates who is in charge of whom and of whom permission must be asked.

(noun)

An example of chain of command is when an employee reports to a manager who reports to a senior manager who reports to the vice president who reports to the CEO. The CEO makes final decisions binding on everyone, followed by the vice president and so on down the line.

See chain of command in Webster's New World College Dictionary

the hierarchy, in order of rank, of persons having authority in an organization or undertaking, specif. a military one

See chain of command in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. chains of command

A system whereby authority passes down from the top through a series of executive positions or military ranks in which each is accountable to the one directly superior.

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