What role primarily advises and assists line personnel in meeting their goals?

The role that primarily advises and assists line personnel in meeting their goals is best represented by staff personnel. Staff personnel are typically experts who provide support and guidance to operational units, helping to enhance the effectiveness of line personnel, who are directly involved in the day-to-day operations of an organization.

By offering their specialized knowledge, staff personnel play a crucial role in strategizing, planning, and providing resources that enable line personnel to achieve their objectives. This relationship allows line personnel to focus on their core responsibilities while benefitting from the insights and advice provided by those in staff roles.

In contrast, line personnel are directly responsible for the production of goods or services. Management consultants may provide valuable external advice but they do not function within the organization in the same capacity as staff personnel. Operations managers, while also involved in day-to-day operational oversight, are more focused on management functions and ensuring that processes are running smoothly, rather than providing specialized advisory roles to assist line personnel in meeting specific goals.