Authority and Responsibility in Management
Authority in Management – Meaning and Concept
Authority in Management – Definitions
(1) “Authority is the right to give order and the power to exact obedience”. -Henri Fayol
(2) “Authority is the power to command, to act or not to act in a manner deemed by the possessor of the authority to further enterprise or departmental performance”. -Koontz and O’Donnell
(3) For Franklin G. Moore-“Authority is the right to decide the power to act, to carry out discussions”.
Authority means a formal, institutional or legal power in a particular job, function, or position that empowers the holder of that job, function, or position to successfully perform his task.
According to Barnard,
“Authority is the character of a communication (order) in a formal organization, by virtue of which it is accepted by a contributor to, or member of, the organization as governing the action he contributes; that is, as governing or determining what he does or not do, so far as the organization is concerned.”
Responsibility
Responsibility has different meanings in management. The most common description is the obligation of the manager to perform the task himself. The essence of responsibility is ‘obligation’.
Responsibility is the obligation of a subordinate to perform a duty, which has been assigned to him by his superior.
Comparison Chart
| BASIS FOR COMPARISON | AUTHORITY | RESPONSIBILITY |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Authority refers to the power or right, attached to a particular job or designation, to give orders, enforce rules, make decisions, and exact compliance. | Responsibility denotes duty or obligation to undertake or accomplish a task successfully, assigned by the senior or established by one's own commitment or circumstances. |
| What is it? | Legal right to issue orders. | The corollary of authority. |
| Results from | Formal position in an organization | Superior-subordinate relationship |
| Task of manager | Delegation of authority | Assumption of responsibility |
| Requires | Ability to give orders. | Ability to follow orders. |
| Flow | Downward | Upward |
| Objective | To make decisions and implement them. | To execute duties, assigned by superior. |
| Duration | Continues for long period. | Ends, as soon as the task is accomplished. |
Authority in Management – Characteristics and Features
The characteristics of authority are briefly explained below:
1. Basis of Getting Things Done:
Authority gives a right to do things in an organisation and affects the behavior of other workers of the organisation. It leads to the performance of certain activities for the accomplishment of the defined objectives automatically.
2. Legitimacy:
Authority implies a legal right (within the organization itself) available to superiors. This type of right arises due to the tradition followed in an organisation, custom, or accepted standards of authenticity.
The right of a manager to affect the behavior of his subordinates is given to him on the basis of an organizational hierarchy.
3. Decision-Making:
Decision-making is a prerequisite of authority. The manager can command his subordinates to act or not act. This type of decision is taken by the manager regarding the functioning of an office.
4. Implementation:
Implementation influences the personality factors of the manager, who is empowered to use authority. The subordinates or group of subordinates should follow the instructions of the manager regarding the implementation of decisions. The personality factor of one manager may differ from another manager.
The following features of authority:
(a) It is the legitimate right of an individual.
(b) It allows the position holder to decide things.
(c) It implies the capacity to get compliance.
(d) It is exercised to influence the behavior of subordinates in a certain manner.
(e) It flows from top to bottom in the organisation.
(f) It is a supreme coordinating force because it binds together different individuals working in the organization.
(g) It is used to achieve organizational objectives.
(h) It is differentiated from power. Power is the capacity to influence others’ while authority is the right to influence others.
Authority in Management – 5 Elements
Authority includes the following elements:
(i) Use of Power – It is regarded as power. In other words, where there is an authority, there is a power on the basis of which the authorized person issues the orders and instruction to other persons under his control.
(ii) Influential Personality – If the power is delegated to a person of influential personality, he will make effective use of this power, easily because the subordinates accept his orders easily.
(iii) Performance – An important element of authority is that the performance of the power of authority is necessary. Such performance may take place in different manners such as, in writing, with the request and issuing orders, etc.
(iv) Effective Leadership – The person possessing authority must be an effective leader so that he may direct his subordinates and in turn, his subordinates should follow his directions.
(v) To influence the subordinates – For effective performance of authority, it is necessary the person possessing authority must-have of the quality influence his subordinates so that they may accept and follow his orders.
Authority in Management – 2 Types: Line Authority and Functional Authority
1. Line Authority:
This is the formal power to exert command and control. The line is the unbroken chain from the top to the bottom of the organizational setup. Persons vested with line authority are involved in activities that directly relate to the organization’s objective. Normally, one reaches the top position in the organization by working up in the line.
Formal power to give order and control is limited to a specified area of expertise. For example; Finance, Technical, Maintenance, Human resources, so on and so forth, are known as functional authorities. It may also be directed across departmental boundaries, such as a staff executive to give direct orders to the operating personnel.
Authority in Management – Sources
(1) The Formal Authority Theory:
According to this principle, the rights of every individual originate from his immediate boss directly and from the constitution of his country. It is a traditional concept assuming the authority of a right based on natural law or on the sanction of legislation. This theory is also known as the ‘immediate source theory’. Law recognizes that the board of directors has certain rights and obligations with regard to corporations.
(2) The Acceptance Theory:
This theory of authority has been advocated by Barnard and Simon. They hold the view that the authority in the relationship that exists between individuals when one accepts the directive of another. A communication carries authority if it is accepted by the recipient as authoritative.
(3) The Competence Theory:
In this theory, a man gets ample authority from his managerial position but in addition to it, it is derived from the technical competence or personal qualities of a manager too. For example, a person who is a recognized expert in one particular field is often referred to as an authority on certain problems of that field.
Authority in Management – 6 Major Limitations
Authority is based on human behavior and relations. Therefore, it is affected by group behavior, reaction, and social changes. Hence, the limits on authority which while exercising should be taken note of.
The important limitations of the use of authority are as follows:
(1) Behavioural Limitations:
This relates to the moods and folkways of the group over which authority is being exercised. The reaction to an authority differs from one individual to another and from one group to another. One has to take care of and calculate beforehand the reactions which will follow after the authority is exercised.
(2) Biological Limitations:
This relates to the physical abilities of a human being. The authority should not be exercised to cross the biological limits, otherwise, a revolt on the part of workers may not be possible to avoid. Officers should not give any order which in practice may not be implemented. For example—an officer cannot order his sub-ordinates to work for five days without stopping because it will not be possible and practicable for his sub-ordinates to do so.
(3) Limitations Caused by Nature or Natural Limits:
This limitation relates to natural limitations such as geographical situation, climate, and the laws of nature. These limitations should not be violated by an authority because the subordinates cannot go beyond nature. For example—coal cannot be converted into gold and any authority should not insist on it.
(4) Technological Limitations:
This limitation relates to technological developments. The authority may be flouted if an order is given to do something which cannot be done in the absence of technological development needed for the execution of the said orders. For example—an officer cannot order his subordinates to produce something without tools.
(5) Economic Limitations:
In economic limitations, no officer can issue orders which cannot be implemented because of economic limits. Economic reasons relate to competition, market conditions, value determination, price determination, etc. For example—a manager cannot order his subordinates to purchase a commodity for Rs.15 the market price of which is Rs.20.
(6) Other Limitations:
These limitations relate to the laws of the land, objectives, and bye-laws of the enterprise which no authority should flout, nor it should expect its sub-ordinates to flout. Such orders invite disobedience and may cause indiscipline.
Authority in Management – Elements of Delegation
Elements of Delegation:
(1) Delegator assigns duties.
(2) Delegator grants authority.
(3) Delegator creates an obligation.
(4) Delegator retains accountability.
(1) Assigning Duties:
The principal reason for the executive to delegate authority is to reduce the burden of work that otherwise he himself would have to perform. When an executive finds the activities to be performed as too many for him to perform efficiently, or when he is not interested in some of them, or does not possess the necessary technical knowledge and skill to carry them out, the logical way out is to delegate some of these activities to others who could perform them better or at least as efficiently as he has been doing. While assigning duties the executive has to express them in terms of functions or in terms of goals or results. An individual’s duties are clear to him only when he knows what activities he must undertake and what missions he must fulfill.
(2) Granting Authority:
A manager confers on a subordinate the authority to decide within a limited area and to act in the best possible way. The subordinate exercises his authority according to his understanding of the intentions of the delegator and within the framework of such controls as the latter chooses to establish. A problem for a delegator is to examine the scope of authority he wishes his subordinate to exercise, and to so frame his communication to them as to mark out clearly for their range of expected and permitted actions.
Two rules have been suggested for executives while delegating authority. They are as regards clarity and amount the delegator should ensure to clarify the nature of authority he is delegating to the delegatee. If there is a lack of clarity as to the scope of hi; authority, it may lead to confusion in his mind and to conflicts with other executives. This will impair his efficiency and may slow down the work of the organization. It is, however, possible to avoid this if there are up-to-date organization charts and organization manuals for reference.
The other rule is that authority and responsibility should be co-terminus or equal. The reason is obvious, for, if authority exceeds responsibility, a subordinate may be tempted to misuse it and this might create resistance among those who are subjected to it. On the other hand, if authority is less than responsibility, he may not be able to take appropriate actions; neither would he be able to compel others to cooperate with him in discharging his responsibility. As a result, he might experience constant frustration which could sap his energy and destroy his desire to give loyalty to the organization.
(3) Creating Obligation:
The next step is to create an obligation on the part of the subordinate for the satisfactory performance of the delegated responsibility. While delegating an executive has to make sure that there is moral compulsion to accomplish the assigned duties and to report to the authorities and be accountable to them.
(4) Retaining Accountability:
The process of delegation has the peculiar feature of leaving the delegating executive as much authority as he had prior to delegating even though, seemingly, he has disposed of it off by giving it out, in various amounts, to his subordinates. This is also true of responsibility – that is no matter to what degree he establishes an obligation on the part of his subordinates; he still remains accountable to his superior for the performance of the job which he delegated to his subordinates. In short, an executive, while delegating, does not abdicate his responsibility, obligation, or accountability.
Responsibility in Management: Definition and Features of Responsibility
Meaning:
Responsibility refers to an obligation to do something.
It is the duty of the subordinate to perform organizational tasks, functions, or activities assigned to him. Authority and responsibility go side by side. When authority is delegated then some responsibility for getting the assigned task is also fixed. One can delegate authority but not responsibility.
Features of Responsibility:
The following are the characteristics or features of responsibility:
(i) Responsibility comes from a superior-subordinate relationship.
(ii) It always flows upward from juniors to seniors.
(iii) It arises from the duty assigned.
(iv) It cannot be delegated.
(v) It is the obligation to complete the job as per instructions. Responsibility may be continuing obligation or it may be discharged by accomplishing a single task. Responsibility is a personal attribute. No person can shift his responsibility by delegating his authority to others.
Authority and responsibility and accountability
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