Authority

And
Responsibility
Contents
1 ORGANIZING

2 AUTHORITY

3 RESPONSIBILITY

4 ACCOUNTABILITY
 ORGANIZING

Organizing is the process of defining and grouping the

activities of the enterprise and establishing the authority
relationship among them.

Characteristics-
Division of Work
Coordination
Common Objectives
Well defined authority and responsibility
Superior subordinate relationship
Universal Process
Dynamic
 ORGANIZING
PROCESS
Identification and division of work
Departmentalization
Determination of Key activities
Assignment of duties
Establishing reporting relationship
Providing Right Environment
 Delegation of Authority

Delegation of authority means assigning

work to others and giving them authority to
do it.
- F.G. Moore

Delegation of authority merely means the

granting of authority to subordinates to
operate within prescribed limits.
- Theo Haimann
 Elements :

Elements of Delegation of Authority :

Responsibility
Authority
Accountability
 RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility is the obligation of a subordinate to

properly perform the assigned duty. When a
superior assigns a job to his subordinate it
becomes the responsibility of the subordinate to
complete the job.
Features :-
Responsibility can be assigned to some other
person
The essence of responsibility is to be dutiful
It gets originated because of superior-subordinate
relationship.
 AUTHORITY

It means the power to take decisions. Decision can

be related to the use of resources and to do or not
to do something.
Features:-
Authority can be assigned to some other person.
It is related to the post (with the change of post,
even authorities change).
It makes implementation of decisions possible.
It is the key to a managerial job, because a post
without authority cannot be a managerial post.
 Authority

Definition

The power to A Right & a

make decision Power to
which guides influence the
the action of behavior or
others efforts of
other
persons
 Difference
Basic of
Authority Responsibility
Distinction

The power or right of a It is an obligation to

Meaning superior to give order to perform the assigned duty
others or order

It emerges from a formal

Sources of It emerges from superior
position in the
Origin subordinate relationship
organisation

Direction of It flows downwards i.e. It flows upward i.e. from

Flow from top to bottom level bottom level to top level

Its purpose is to make Its purpose is to execute

Purpose decisions and get the the duties assigned by the
decisions executed superior
 ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability means the answerability of the

subordinate to his superior for his work
performance.

Features:-
Accountability cannot be delegated.
It originates because of delegation of authority.
It is only towards the delegators.
Its base is senior subordinate relationship
 Difference
Basic of
Responsibility Accountability
Distinction

It is an obligation to
perform the assigned Answerable to the
Meaning duty or order superior for the work
performed

Sources of Relationship between

Delegation of Authority
Origin senior & superior

Responsibility
Accountability
( Responsibility for) or
( Responsibility to)
Delegation the work can be
cannot be delegated to
delegated to some
some other person
other person
Can Accountability
be Delegated ?
 Process of Delegation
of Authority

Assigning responsibility

Granting Authority

Fixing Accountability
 IMPORTANCE

Importance of Delegation of Authority :

Effective Management
Employee Development
Motivation of Employees
Facilitation of Growth
Better Coordination
Organisational Constraints
Inadequate planning
Lack of Unity of Command
Non availability of
competent managers
Unclear authority On the part of Subordinates
relationship Obstacles Lack of Information
to and resources
Delegation Over Burdened
Lack of self confidence
On the part of superior Dependence on Boss
Lack of Control
Fear of subordinates
Love for authority
Lack of receptiveness
Lack of trust in subordinates