Authority and power

Before concentrating on the authority within the organization, it is

useful to distinguish between authority and power. Power is a much
broader concept that authority is the capacity of individuals or
groups to induce or influence the beliefs or actions of other
individuals or groups. Authority in the organization's own right in a
position to exercise discretion in making decisions that affect others.
Of course, it is a kind of power, but power in the organizational field.
It is the legitimate power conferred a position in an organization.
Although there are many power bases, usually arises from the
position and derives from our cultural system of rights, obligations
and duties, for which a "position" is accepted by people as
"legitimate". In a privately owned company, authority position arises
primarily from the social institution of private property. The authority
is distributed throughout the organizational structure born of power
that comes from private property owners.
Power can also come from the experience of a person or group.
Power can also exist as a power reference, ie influence individuals or
groups can have on others because people believe in themselves
and their ideas.
In addition, the power comes from the ability of a person to provide
rewards. Coercive power is another kind of power, closely related to
the power of reward, but almost always arises of legitimate power;
is the power to punish, either by the dismissal of a subordinate, or
to retain a raise based on merit.
Delegation of decisin powers
In recent years it has been fashionable to use a variety of
approaches to the delegation of powers of decision or
empowerment. The delegation of powers of decision means that
employees, managers or teams of all levels of the organization are
empowered to make decisions without seeking permission from his
superiors. The underlying notion is that empowerment that are
closer to the task are better able to make decisions, provided they
have the necessary capabilities. Indeed, the notion of delegation of
decision is based historically suggestion schemes, job enrichment
and worker participation.
both the delegation of authority and decision-making powers are a
matter of degree. They also require employees and equipment to
accept responsibility for their actions and tasks. From a conceptual
point of view, this can be illustrated as follows:
The power must equal responsibility (P = R), or as mentioned
earlier known Fayol: parity between authority and responsibility.

 If power is greater than the liability (P> R), this could result in an
autocratic behavior of the superior is not responsible for their
actions.
If the liability is greater than the power (R> P) may result in
frustration, because the person is not necessary to perform the task
that is responsible power.
The growing interest in the delegation of powers of decision is due
in part to the emergence of global competitiveness, the need to
respond quickly to the demands and expectations of customers and
a better educated workforce that demands greater autonomy.
effective management requires the delegation of powers of decision
is sincere, based on mutual trust, accompanied by relevant
information so employees can perform their tasks and should give
competent people.
Moreover, employees should be rewarded for exercising their right
to decide.
Concepts
the authority line
The authority of a superior line gives a line of authority over
subordinate. It exists in every organization is like an uninterrupted
scale or series of steps. Behold the first climb in the organization:
the clearer it is the line of authority from the high management
position in a company to each subordinate position, the clearer will
be the responsibility makes decisions and the more effective
organizational communication . In many large companies, steps are
long and complex, but even in the smallest, the very fact of
organizing introduces the principle climb.
Therefore, the scalar principle is evident that the authority line is
the relation in which a superior exercises direct supervision of a
subordinate, a relationship of authority online or direct steps.
Staff
The nature of the relationship of support staff (staff) is an advisor.
The function of those with a capacity purely support staff is to
research, find and give advice to line managers.
Functional authority
Functional authority is the right delegated to an individual or a
department to control processes, practices and specific policies, or
other related activities undertaken by staff from other departments

affairs. We can better understand the functional authority to think of

it as a small slice of the authority of a superior line. The functional
authority can be assigned by a line post to another post online or to
a support post. It is very important that it be clearly defined to avoid
confusion. If the principle of unity of command is followed without
exception, authority over these activities would be exercised only by
the superiors of relevant online. But numerous reasons, including
lack of expertise, lack of capacity to monitor specific processes and
risk of different interpretations of policies, explain why these
managers are not allowed to occasionally exercise this authority. In
such cases, line managers are deprived of some authority, which
delegates its common than an administrative specialist, or a
manager from another department.
The nature of decentralization
The organizational authority is simply the discretion conferred
people to use their judgment in making decisions and give
instructions. Decentralization is the tendency to disperse the
authority of decision making in an organized structure. It is a
fundamental aspect of the delegation, to the extent that the
authority is delegated is decentralized. How much should
concentrate or disperse authority in the organization? There could
be an absolute centralization of authority in one person, but that
means no subordinate managers and therefore there is no
structured organization. There is some decentralization in all
organizations. Moreover, there can be no absolute decentralization,
as if managers delegate all their authority, their status as managers
would cease to exist, their positions would be eliminated and, again,
there would organization.
Different types of centralization
The term centralization has several meanings:
Centralization of performance refers to the geographical
concentration; is exemplified, for example, a company that operates
in a single location.
The departmental centralization refers to the concentration of
specialized activities, usually in an apartment. For example,
maintenance of a whole plant can be performed by one division.
Centralization of management is the tendency to restrict the
delegation of decision making. Managers at or near the top of the
organizational hierarchy retain a high degree of authority.
Delegation of authority
The authority is delegated when a superior to a subordinate gives
discretion to make decisions. It is clear that superiors can not

delegate authority that does not have, whether board members,

presidents, vice presidents or supervisors.
The delegation process includes: 1) determine the expected results
of a position, 2) assign tasks to position 3) delegate authority to
carry out these tasks and 4) hold accountable the person occupying
the position of compliance tasks. In practice it is impossible to divide
this process as they wait for a person meets goals without giving the
authority to achieve them is not practical, as it is to delegate
authority without knowing the final results that will be applied.
Moreover, since the responsibility of a superior can not be
delegated, a boss should hold accountable subordinates to complete
their assignments. This process can be centered on the principle of
trust, which is essential to make the delegation process. If trust
there is no delegation will never take place altogether.

Personal attitudes toward delegation

While establishing an organization and outline the goals and
managerial duties will help you make the decision to delegate and
knowledge of the principles of delegation will provide a basis for
this, certain personal attitudes underlie the actual delegation.
receptivity
An underlying attribute managers who delegated authority is the
willingness to give an opportunity to the ideas of others. The
decision always includes some discretion and decision of a
subordinate will not always be exactly what would have taken
higher. The manager who knows how to delegate must be a
minimum of "NIA factor (not invented here)" and be able not only to
receive good ideas of others, but to help them present ideas and
congratulate them on their ingenuity.
Disposal of grant
A manager who effectively delegate authority must be willing to
grant the right to make decisions to subordinates. A major weakness
of some managers amounting executive or pioneer who has built a
large business starting small scale, say a workshop they want to
continue taking decisions of the positions they have left. And
corporate vice presidents who insist confirm every purchase or
approve the appointment of each rabajador or secretary do not
understand that it takes too much time and attention of major
decisions.

Disposal of allowing subordinates errors

Although no responsible manager would allow a subordinate makes
a mistake that would jeopardize the company or subordinate
position in the same, continuous verification of subordinates to
ensure that these errors would never happen delegation impossible.
Yaque all make mistakes, should be allowed to have some
subordinate and cost should be considered as an investment in
personal development.
Repeated serious errors greater extent without nullifying the
delegation or hinder the development of a subordinate can be
avoided or. The patient, ask questions that direct or discern and
explain carefully the strategic planning of the company and
publicize the operational planning, in areas such as counseling
objectives and policies are some of the methods available for the
manager to delegate well. None of these techniques includes
discourage intimidating subordinates reviews or insist on their
mistakes, but give them a framework to guide them, is clear, but
gives them room to use their own judgment minimizing risk to the
company.
Disposal of trusting subordinates
Superiors have no choice but to trust their subordinates, since the
delegation implies an attitude of trust between them. Sometimes,
this confidence is elusive. A senior delegation postpones the idea
that subordinates do not yet have enough experience, they can not
manage staff who do not develop judgment, or who do not
appreciate all events affecting a situation. Sometimes, these
considerations are valid, but then the superior capacity should tar
subordinates, or select others who are better prepared to take
responsibility. However, often the heads distrust their subordinates
because they do not know enough, you might not want to let go, or
even may feel threatened by the success of subordinates, and
therefore do not know how to delegate wisely, or how to establish
controls to ensure the proper use of authority.
Disposition of establishing and using extensive controls
Since superiors can not delegate responsibility for performance,
should not delegate authority unless they are willing to find ways to
get feedback, ie ensure that the authority will be used to support
the goals and plans of the company or department. Obviously, you
can not establish and exercise controls unless there are clear goals,
and other types of plans and policies that are used as basic
standards for judging the activities of subordinates. Often the
reluctance to delegate and trust subordinates comes from
inadequate planning of the upper and the understandable fear of

losing control. Often the lack of mechanisms for regular reporting is

one of the reasons why the delegation is limited, fearing
misinformation.
advantage
1. Getting senior management out of the burden of decision-making
and requires senior managers to let go.
2. Encourages decision making and assumption of authority and
responsibility.
3. It gives managers more freedom and independence in decisionmaking.
4. Promote the establishment and use of extensive controls that can
increase motivation.
5. Makes it possible to compare the performance of different
organizational units.
6. Make easier the establishment of profit centers.
7. Make easier product diversification.
8. Encourages the development of general managers.
9. Support for adaptation to rapidly changing environment.
limitations
1. It makes it difficult to have a uniform policy.
2. Increase the complexity of coordinating decentralized
organizational units.
3. It can result in loss of control of certain senior managers.
4. Can be limited by inadequate control techniques.
5. It can be restricted by inadequate systems planning and control.
6. It can be limited by the lack of qualified managers.
7. Includes significant costs to train managers.
8. Can be limited by external forces (national labor unions,
governmental controls, tax policies).
9. It can not be helped by economies of scale in certain operations.