Meaning of Authority, Power, Responsibility and Accountability

Authority

Authority is the right to give orders and power to command subordinates. It is the power to take decisions and guide the actions of others to attain organizational goals. It is a commanding force that compels the subor­dinates to do the right thing to attain organizational goals. It consists of the right to command and to utilize organizational resources. Authority is the core of the structure of an organization. The strength of an officer is known by the authority he enjoys.

Authority is nothing but the rights or the powers with the executives which the organization provides them with the aim of accomplishment of certain common organizational goals.

Hence, it includes the powers to assign duties to the subordinates and make them accept and follow it.

Without authority, a manager ceases to be a manager because he will be able to make his juniors or subordinates work towards the accomplishment of the goals.

According to George R. Terry “Authority is official and legal right to command action by others and to enforce compliance. In this way authority is exercised”:

(i) by making decision

(ii) by seeing that they are carried out through

(a) persuasion

(b) sanctions

(c) requests

(d) even coercion, constraint or force.

The following characteristics of authority deserve special attention:

1. Right to command: Authority is the legitimate right to command, direct, guides, and control the activities of the subordinates to attain organizational goals.
2. Right of decision-making: Authority includes the right to take decisions and get them executed by the subordinates. Generally, decisions are taken on problems related to assigned activities.
3. Positional in nature: Authority is always positional in nature. It refers to the relationship between superior and subordinate. Once the superior vacates his position, he ceases to have authority.
4. Limited scope: The extent of authority is determined by the rules and norms of the organization. The limit of authority enjoyed by a position is limited.
5. Delegated downwards: Authority is always delegated downwards. The superior can delegate part of his authority to his subordinate in discharging his assigned duty.
6. Longer stability: Authority has a longer stability. The authority, once granted, remains in force unless it is withdrawn prematurely.
7. Possibility of withdrawal: Authority granted to a position can be withdrawn at any time if the situation so warrants. Generally, authority is withdrawn with a view to reduce the damage for better results.
8. Downward flow: Authority always flows downward in an organizational structure. The superior grants authority to his subordinates to get the work done.
9. Legal right: Authority implies a legal right (within the organization itself) available to superiors. It is granted as per the statute (i.e., rules and regulations) of the organization to achieve the pre-decided organizational goals.
10. Influencing behaviour of subordinates: Authority influences the behaviour of subordinates in terms of doing the right things at the right time. It is a commanding force that compels the subordinates to do the right thing to attain organizational goals.

Responsibility

“Responsibility is an obligation of an individual to perform assigned duties to the best of his ability under the direction of his leader.” In the words of Theo Haimann, “Responsibility is the obligation of a subordinate to perform the duty as required by his superior”.

As per McFarland, responsibility means, “the duties and activities assigned to a position or an executive”.

Characteristics

• Its importance lies in the creation of the obligation to perform the work.
• It arises from the superior-subordinate relationship.
• Unlike Authority, it flows from bottom to top.
• It is always in the form of a continuing obligation.
• No one can delegate responsibility.

Forms of Responsibility:

(i) Operating Responsibility and

(ii) Ultimate Responsibility.

(i) Operating Responsibility: It is the obligation of an employee to carry out the assigned tasks.

(ii) Ultimate Responsibility: It is the final obligation of the manager who ensures that the task is done efficiently by the employees.

Accountability

It means to be responsible for explanation to any superior. When a sub­ordinate works under a boss and he is assigned some duties to be performed, he will be accountable for doing or not doing that work. Thus, accountability is a derivative of responsibility. So, accountability is the personal answerability for results.

Features:

1. It is in fact the legal responsibility.
2. It can neither be shared nor delegated.
3. It always to be assigned duties only.
4. It always from downward to upward.
5. It is different from responsibility.
6. It is unitary in nature i.e., a sub-ordinate under the principle of unity of command is accountable only to one officer who has delegated authority to him. It avoids confusion and conflicts.