PRINCIPLE: AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

Authority is the power to give orders and get it obeyed or in other words it is
the power to take decisions.

Responsibility means state of being accountable or answerable for any

obligation, trust, debt or something or in other words it means obligation to
complete a job assigned on time and in best way.

Authority and responsibility are closely related and this principle states that
these two must go hand in hand. It means that proper authority should be
delegated to meet the responsibilities.

A match should be there between these two because of two main reasons:--

 Firstly, if a person is given some responsibility without sufficient authority he

can’t perform better, and also could not accomplish the desired goal.

 Secondly, if there is excess authority being delegated to an individual without

matching responsibility then the delegated authority will be misused in one
way or the other.

This is an important and useful principle of management because if adequate

authority is not delegated to the employees they cannot discharge their duties
with efficiency and this in turn will hamper the achievement of the
organizational goal. Sometimes the relation between management and
employees is also badly effected by non delegation of proper authority.

Positive impacts of this principle:

 No misuse of authority.
 Helps to complete job effectively and efficiently.
 Individuals can be held accountable.
 Systematized and effective achievement of organizational objectives.

Consequences of violation of this principle:

 Misuse of authority.
 Responsibility can’t be discharged effectively.
 No one can be held accountable.
 Conflicts between management and employees.
Delegation of Authority - Meaning,
Importance and its Principles
A manager alone cannot perform all the tasks assigned to him. In order to meet the targets, the manager
should delegate authority. Delegation of Authority means division of authority and powers downwards to
the subordinate. Delegation is about entrusting someone else to do parts of your job. Delegation of
authority can be defined as subdivision and sub-allocation of powers to the subordinates in order to
achieve effective results.

Elements of Delegation

1. Authority - in context of a business organization, authority can be defined as the power and right
of a person to use and allocate the resources efficiently, to take decisions and to give orders so
as to achieve the organizational objectives. Authority must be well- defined. All people who have
the authority should know what is the scope of their authority is and they shouldn’t misutilize it.
Authority is the right to give commands, orders and get the things done. The top level
management has greatest authority.

Authority always flows from top to bottom. It explains how a superior gets work done from his
subordinate by clearly explaining what is expected of him and how he should go about it.
Authority should be accompanied with an equal amount of responsibility. Delegating the authority
to someone else doesn’t imply escaping from accountability. Accountability still rest with the
person having the utmost authority.

2. Responsibility - is the duty of the person to complete the task assigned to him. A person who is
given the responsibility should ensure that he accomplishes the tasks assigned to him. If the
tasks for which he was held responsible are not completed, then he should not give explanations
or excuses. Responsibility without adequate authority leads to discontent and dissatisfaction
among the person. Responsibility flows from bottom to top. The middle level and lower level
management holds more responsibility. The person held responsible for a job is answerable for it.
If he performs the tasks assigned as expected, he is bound for praises. While if he doesn’t
accomplish tasks assigned as expected, then also he is answerable for that.
3. Accountability - means giving explanations for any variance in the actual performance from the
expectations set. Accountability can not be delegated. For example, if ’A’ is given a task with
sufficient authority, and ’A’ delegates this task to B and asks him to ensure that task is done well,
responsibility rest with ’B’, but accountability still rest with ’A’. The top level management is most
accountable. Being accountable means being innovative as the person will think beyond his
scope of job. Accountability, in short, means being answerable for the end result. Accountability
can’t be escaped. It arises from responsibility.

For achieving delegation, a manager has to work in a system and has to perform following steps : -

1. Assignment of tasks and duties

2. Granting of authority
3. Creating responsibility and accountability

Delegation of authority is the base of superior-subordinate relationship, it involves following steps:-

1. Assignment of Duties - The delegator first tries to define the task and duties to the subordinate.
He also has to define the result expected from the subordinates. Clarity of duty as well as result
expected has to be the first step in delegation.
 2. Granting of authority - Subdivision of authority takes place when a superior divides and shares
his authority with the subordinate. It is for this reason, every subordinate should be given enough
independence to carry the task given to him by his superiors. The managers at all levels delegate
authority and power which is attached to their job positions. The subdivision of powers is very
important to get effective results.
3. Creating Responsibility and Accountability - The delegation process does not end once
powers are granted to the subordinates. They at the same time have to be obligatory towards the
duties assigned to them. Responsibility is said to be the factor or obligation of an individual to
carry out his duties in best of his ability as per the directions of superior. Responsibility is very
important. Therefore, it is that which gives effectiveness to authority. At the same time,
responsibility is absolute and cannot be shifted. Accountability, on the others hand, is the
obligation of the individual to carry out his duties as per the standards of performance. Therefore,
it is said that authority is delegated, responsibility is created and accountability is imposed.
Accountability arises out of responsibility and responsibility arises out of authority. Therefore, it
becomes important that with every authority position an equal and opposite responsibility should
be attached.

Therefore every manager,i.e.,the delegator has to follow a system to finish up the delegation process.
Equally important is the delegatee’s role which means his responsibility and accountability is attached
with the authority over to here.

Relationship between Authority and Responsibility

Authority is the legal right of person or superior to command his subordinates while accountability is the
obligation of individual to carry out his duties as per standards of performance Authority flows from the
superiors to subordinates,in which orders and instructions are given to subordinates to complete the task.
It is only through authority, a manager exercises control. In a way through exercising the control the
superior is demanding accountability from subordinates. If the marketing manager directs the sales
supervisor for 50 units of sale to be undertaken in a month. If the above standards are not accomplished,
it is the marketing manager who will be accountable to the chief executive officer. Therefore, we can say
that authority flows from top to bottom and responsibility flows from bottom to top. Accountability is a
result of responsibility and responsibility is result of authority. Therefore, for every authority an equal
accountability is attached.

Differences between Authority and Responsibility

Authority Responsibility

It is the legal right of a person or It is the obligation of subordinate to perform the

a superior to command his work assigned to him.
subordinates.

Authority is attached to the Responsibility arises out of superior-

position of a superior in subordinate relationship in which subordinate
concern. agrees to carry out duty given to him.
Authority can be delegated by a Responsibility cannot be shifted and is absolute
superior to a subordinate

It flows from top to bottom. It flows from bottom to top.

Delegation of Authority
Definition: The Delegation of Authority is an organizational process wherein, the manager
divides his work among the subordinates and give them the responsibility to accomplish the
respective tasks. Along with the responsibility, he also shares the authority, i.e. the power to take
decisions with the subordinates, such that responsibilities can be completed efficiently.

In other words, a delegation of authority involves the sharing of authority downwards to the
subordinates and checking their efficiency by making them accountable for their doings. In an
organization, the manager has several responsibilities and work to do. So, in order to reduce his
burden, certain responsibility and authority are delegated to the lower level, i.e. to the
subordinates, to get the work done on the manager’s behalf.

Under the delegation of authority, the manager does not surrender his authority completely, but
only shares certain responsibility with the subordinate and delegates that much authority which is
necessary to complete that responsibility.
 Features of Delegation of Authority

1. Delegation means giving power to the subordinate to act independently but within the limits prescribed
by the superior. Also, he must comply with the provisions of the organizational policy, rules, and
regulations.
2. Delegation does not mean that manager give up his authority, but certainly he shares some authority
with the subordinate essential to complete the responsibility entrusted to him.
3. Authority once delegated can be further expanded, or withdrawn by the superior depending on the
situation.
4. The manager cannot delegate the authority which he himself does not possess. Also, he can not
delegate his full authority to a subordinate.
5. The delegation of authority may be oral or written, and may be specific or general.
6. The delegation is an art and must comply with all the fundamental rules of an organization.

Power and Authority

Despite the differences between government systems in the Middle East and the United
States, their governments play the same fundamental role: in some fashion, they exert
control over the people they govern. The nature of that control—what we will define as
power and authority—is an important feature of society.
Sociologists have a distinctive approach to studying governmental power and authority
that differs from the perspective of political scientists. For the most part, political
scientists focus on studying how power is distributed in different types of political
systems. They would observe, for example, that the United States’ political system is
divided into three distinct branches (legislative, executive, and judicial), and they would
explore how public opinion affects political parties, elections, and the political process in
general. Sociologists, however, tend to be more interested in the influences of
governmental power on society and in how social conflicts arise from the distribution of
power. Sociologists also examine how the use of power affects local, state, national,
and global agendas, which in turn affect people differently based on status, class, and
socioeconomic standing.

What Is Power?

Nazi leader Adolf Hitler was one of the most powerful and destructive dictators in modern history. He is pictured
here with fascist Benito Mussolini of Italy. (Photo courtesy of U.S. National Archives and Records
Administration)

For centuries, philosophers, politicians, and social scientists have explored and
commented on the nature of power. Pittacus (c. 640–568 B.C.E.) opined, “The measure
of a man is what he does with power,” and Lord Acton perhaps more famously asserted,
“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely” (1887). Indeed, the
concept of power can have decidedly negative connotations, and the term itself is
difficult to define.
Many scholars adopt the definition developed by German sociologist Max Weber, who
said that power is the ability to exercise one’s will over others (Weber 1922). Power
affects more than personal relationships; it shapes larger dynamics like social groups,
professional organizations, and governments. Similarly, a government’s power is not
necessarily limited to control of its own citizens. A dominant nation, for instance, will
often use its clout to influence or support other governments or to seize control of other
nation states. Efforts by the U.S. government to wield power in other countries have
included joining with other nations to form the Allied forces during World War II, entering
Iraq in 2002 to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime, and imposing sanctions on the
government of North Korea in the hopes of constraining its development of nuclear
weapons.

Endeavors to gain power and influence do not necessarily lead to violence, exploitation,
or abuse. Leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi, for example,
commanded powerful movements that effected positive change without military force.
Both men organized nonviolent protests to combat corruption and injustice and
succeeded in inspiring major reform. They relied on a variety of nonviolent protest
strategies such as rallies, sit-ins, marches, petitions, and boycotts.

Modern technology has made such forms of nonviolent reform easier to implement.
Today, protesters can use cell phones and the Internet to disseminate information and
plans to masses of protesters in a rapid and efficient manner. In the Arab Spring
uprisings, for example, Twitter feeds and other social media helped protesters
coordinate their movements, share ideas, and bolster morale, as well as gain global
support for their causes. Social media was also important in getting accurate accounts
of the demonstrations out to the world, in contrast to many earlier situations in which
government control of the media censored news reports. Notice that in these examples,
the users of power were the citizens rather than the governments. They found they had
power because they were able to exercise their will over their own leaders. Thus,
government power does not necessarily equate to absolute power.

SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TERRORIST TOOL

British aid worker, Alan Henning, was the fourth victim of the Islamic State (known as ISIS or
ISIL) to be beheaded before video cameras in a recording titled, “Another Message to America
and Its Allies,” which was posted on YouTube and pro-Islamic state Twitter feeds in the fall of
2014. Henning was captured during his participation in a convoy taking medical supplies to a
hospital in conflict-ravaged northern Syria. His death was publicized via social media, as were
the earlier beheadings of U.S. journalists Jim Foley and Steven Sotloff and British aid worker
David Haines. The terrorist groups also used social media to demand an end to intervention in
the Middle East by U.S., British, French, and Arab forces.
An international coalition, led by the United States, has been formed to combat ISIS in response
to this series of publicized murders. France and the United Kingdom, members of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and Belgium are seeking government approval through
their respective parliaments to participate in airstrikes. The specifics of target locations are a key
point, however, and they emphasize the delicate and political nature of current conflict in the
region. Due to perceived national interest and geopolitical dynamics, Britain and France are
more willing to be a part of airstrikes on ISIS targets in Iran and likely to avoid striking targets in
Syria. Several Arab nations are a part of the coalition, including Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Turkey, another NATO member, has not announced
involvement in airstrikes, presumably because ISIS is holding forty-nine Turkish citizens
hostage.
U.S. intervention in Libya and Syria is controversial, and it arouses debate about the role of the
United States in world affairs, as well as the practical need for, and outcome of, military action in
the Middle East. Experts and the U.S. public alike are weighing the need for fighting terrorism in
its current form of the Islamic State and the bigger issue of helping to restore peace in the
Middle East. Some consider ISIS a direct and growing threat to the United States if left
unchecked. Others believe U.S. intervention unnecessarily worsens the Middle East situation
and prefer that resources be used at home rather than increasing military involvement in an
area of the world where they believe the United States has intervened long enough.

Types of Authority

The protesters in Tunisia and the civil rights protesters of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s day
had influence apart from their position in a government. Their influence came, in part,
from their ability to advocate for what many people held as important values.
Government leaders might have this kind of influence as well, but they also have the
advantage of wielding power associated with their position in the government. As this
example indicates, there is more than one type of authority in a community.

Authority refers to accepted power—that is, power that people agree to follow. People
listen to authority figures because they feel that these individuals are worthy of respect.
Generally speaking, people perceive the objectives and demands of an authority figure
as reasonable and beneficial, or true.

A citizen’s interaction with a police officer is a good example of how people react to
authority in everyday life. For instance, a person who sees the flashing red and blue
lights of a police car in his rearview mirror usually pulls to the side of the road without
hesitation. Such a driver most likely assumes that the police officer behind him serves
as a legitimate source of authority and has the right to pull him over. As part of her
official duties, the police officer then has the power to issue a speeding ticket if the
driver was driving too fast. If the same officer, however, were to command the driver to
follow her home and mow her lawn, the driver would likely protest that the officer does
not have the authority to make such a request.

Not all authority figures are police officers, elected officials or government authorities.
Besides formal offices, authority can arise from tradition and personal qualities.
Economist and sociologist Max Weber realized this when he examined individual action
as it relates to authority, as well as large-scale structures of authority and how they
relate to a society’s economy. Based on this work, Weber developed a classification
system for authority. His three types of authority are traditional authority, charismatic
authority and legal-rational authority (Weber 1922).