19 Delegation and Decentralisation

Suresh Kumar Turka

Introduction

After grouping of activities, the next thing in the process of organising is to distribute the authority. Delegation of authority is the action in that direction only. Authority is the right to do something, responsibility is an obligation to do something, accountability is inseparability to superior, power is the ability to do something; and autonomy is the freedom, independence and carefulness in what one does.

Meaning of Authority

Authority is the right to do something. Authority is the power provided by organisation which empowers a manager to make decisions, to use organisational resources, and to monitor and regulate the behaviour of subordinates for the efficient performance of assigned work responsibilities. Authority can be assigned to others and related to post.

Features of Authority

It is the right given to the superior.
It lies in position and the superior gets it when he occupies the position.
Authority originates at the top and moves downward.
It can be delegated to the subordinates.
Authority creates superior – subordinate relationship.

Delegation of Authority

Delegation of authority is an important part of the organisation process. Its need arise due to excessive work load when a superior is not able to perform all jobs independently. As a result, divides his work among the subordinates. To make successful division of work, authority is given to the subordinates so, that they may take work related decisions. Only authority can be delegated and not the accountability. Accountability means the answerability of the subordinate to his superior for his work performance.

Process of Delegation of Authority

Delegation is the process by which a manger assigns a part of his workload to his subordinate.

This includes the following steps:

1. Assignment of Responsibility: – The process of delegation of authority started with assignment of responsibility. Due to excessive work load it is not possible for a superior to perform all the activities on his own. So, he keeps the important work himself and the rest assigned to his subordinates according to their skills and capabilities.

2. Granting of Authority: – In the delegation process it is necessary to grant authority to the subordinates for successful work performance. There is no meaning of assigning responsibility without authority to the subordinates. So, all the required authority should be delegated to the subordinates for fulfillment of responsibility.

3. Fixing the Accountability: –In this step of delegation process the accountability of the subordinates are fixed for their work performance. Every subordinate is accountable to his superior who delegates authority for the fulfillment of job responsibility. Accountability means justification for the work performance and the person who delegates the work will be accountable to his superior for the work performance.

Principles of Delegation of Authority

For effective delegation, it must be governed by certain working rules or principles. The following rules or principles are fundamental in relation to delegation of authority:

1. Functions to be performed: – In delegation of authority, a manager should define clearly the functions to be performed by the subordinates. The objectives of each job, the activities involved in it, and its relationship with other jobs should be clearly defined.

2. Results Expected: – Authority should be delegated to a position according to the results expected from that subordinate. Duties of the subordinates become clear to them only when they understand what activities they must undertake and what results are expected from them.

3. Clarity of Lines of Authority: – Each position in the organisation is linked with others through authority relationships, some directly and others indirectly. A clear understanding of the lines of authority is needed for smooth functioning of the organisation. Everyone must know from whom he gets authority and to whom his authority must be referred.

4. Level of Authority: – It implies delegation of decision-making authority to the competent managers at some level. The superior is not expected to interfere with the decision-making process which is, by delegation, within the competence of the subordinate manager at the lower organisation levels concerned.

5. Absoluteness of Responsibility: – Responsibility cannot be delegated. An executive cannot free himself from his own obligations to his superior by delegating duties. In fact, by delegating authority he increases his responsibility as he will be now accountable to his superior for the acts of his subordinates also. The ultimate responsibility for the accomplishment of the task is his, even though it has been assigned to his subordinates.

6. Parity of Authority and Responsibility: – A subordinate should be given necessary authority to perform his assigned duties. Authority must correspond to perform his responsibility. There must be a proper balance between authority and responsibility of a subordinate. It is unfair to hold a person responsible for something over which he has no authority. Responsibility without authority will make a subordinate ineffective as he cannot perform his duties. Similarly, authority without responsibility will make the subordinate irresponsible. Therefore, authority and responsibility should be co-extensive.

7. Motivation: – It should be the policy of the managers to provide material and psychological incentives to the subordinates so that they spontaneously accept the delegated responsibility and duty and exercise the authority delegated to them. Higher wages, bonus, promotion to better positions, greater recognition and prestige etc. may have a stimulating effect for productive performance of duties.

Importance of Delegation of Authority

1. Helpful in Management: – Delegation of authority helps in reducing the workload of the superiors. Managers who delegate the authority are able to give much more time to the planning and decision making process. Thus, delegation of authority helps in the achievement of the objectives.

2. Development of Employees: – The delegation process provides an opportunity to take decisions and it helps in mental development and personal growth of the subordinates. The superiors delegate the work of their own level to the subordinates motivates to their subordinates. This practice adds on to their knowledge and experience. As a result, they become more able to take extra responsibility.

3. Motivation of Employees: – In the process of delegation of authority, both authority and responsibility are delegated to subordinates. This situation provides managers the authority to take decisions on part of the subordinates.

4. Facilitation of Growth: – Delegation of authority does not only develop only one person or division but facilitates the development of organisation as a whole. It makes better utilisation of resources through division of work. As a result, profits are increased and managers as well as subordinates feel motivated.

5. Better Coordination: – Delegation of authority is a process to establish relation among responsibility, authority and accountability. Though this employees get clarification with regard to their powers, duties and accountability for work performance.

6 Quick and Better Decisions: – Decisions by delegation are taken not only at the top hierarchy but at all levels of management and it leads to quick decisions.

7. Continuity in Organisation: – Delegation of authority provides knowledge and experience about the job of superior to the subordinates and if any superior leaves the organisation then his subordinate can easily be appointed in his place. Thus, continuity in the organisation is maintained and the work performance is not impeded.

Obstacles / Barriers in Effective Delegation of Authority

On the part of the superior

1. Psychological Barrier: – Some superior’s think that only they can take better decisions and subordinates are not much able to take the right decision. They feel that nobody else can do their job in a better way and for this reason they do not delegate authority.

2. Lack of ability to direct: – Sometimes superior may have the lack of ability to identify and communicate the essential features of his plans which creates hurdles for effective delegation.

3. Lack of confidence in subordinates: –In delegation there must be a mutual trust and confidence between the superior and the subordinate. Lack of confidence in the ability, capacity of the subordinate obstructs the superior to delegate authority. If a superior has no confidence in his subordinates, he will not delegate authority as a result subordinates will not be able to learn the things.

4. Lack of Control: – While delegating authority the manager must find means of assuring himself that the authority is being used to complete the given tasks. Where manager does not establish adequate controls nor has no means of knowing the use of authority, he may hesitate to delegate the authority.

5. Unfamiliarity with Delegation: – In delegation of authority many of the superior are do not familiar with the art of delegation and it becomes an obstacle. In such a situation the balance between authority and responsibility cannot be established and consequently delegation becomes a failure.

6. Fear of Competition: – In delegation of authority, subordinates learn to take decisions. The managers may develop a feeling of fear of competition from subordinates. Due to this, he may be unwilling to delegate authority to subordinates. This obstacle is usually unexpressed and may be unconscious.

On the part of the Subordinate

1. Dependence on the Superior: – Most of the subordinates find it easier to ask the superior for taking decisions while tackling with different problems. They may avoid accepting authority even the superior may be prepared to delegate it.

2. Fear of Criticism: – Sometimes subordinate fears that he will be criticised by the superior even for a small mistake, as a result he will avoid accepting authority. Due to this fear of criticism they do not accept delegation easily.

3. Lack of Self-Confidence: –If the subordinates lacking in self- confidence and knowledge it will also become a hurdle in delegation process. Lower education and lack of experience also becomes a hurdle on the part of subordinates in delegation.

4. Lack of Incentives: –A subordinate may be unwilling to accept delegated work if he does not get adequate positive incentives in the form of salary increase, opportunity for promotion, personal recognition or approval by the superior. Lack of financial and non financial incentives also a common cause in accepting delegation of authority.

5. Overloaded with Work: –If a subordinate is already overloaded with work, he may not accept delegated authority and this may be a genuine reason for such refusal.

Decentralisation

Decentralisation is an extended form of delegation. In this all the authority, except the one which is absolutely necessary for the superior to hold, is given to the subordinates permanently and important decisions are taken by middle and lower level managers.

Thus, decentralisation is concerned with the decentralisation of decision-making authority to the lower levels in managerial hierarchy.

Degree of Decentralisation

The degree of decentralisation is determined by the following indicators

1. Nature of the Authority: – Nature of authority refers its importance. It shows that up to what extent the authority is provided to the subordinates to take important decisions. If only routine level work decision making is authorised then, amount of decentralisation will be lower.

2. Up to which level it is Delegated: – if the authority to take decisions has been transferred to the middle hierarchy, it means that the extent of decentralisation is small but if on the contrary it is up to lower level the amount of decentralisation will be more.

3. How consistently it is delegated: – Decentralisation in an organisation will be acceptable if the process of giving authority has been consistent or permanent. When authorities are not consistently delegated, it means decentralisation is lower.

Advantages of Decentralisation

Decentralisation has the following advantages in any business organisation;

1. Reduces the Burden at Top Level: – Decentralisation helps in reducing the burden of top level managers while performing various functions. In centralization most of the authorities and responsibilities lies on the shoulders of top level managers and they are not able to concentrate on important functions. So, the only way to lessen their burden is to decentralise the decision-making power to the subordinates.

2. Facilitates Diversification: –A centralised enterprise finds it difficult to diversify its activities and start the additional lines of manufacture or distribution. On the other hand, under decentralization the diversification of products, activities and markets is facilitated.

3. Executive Development: –When the authority is decentralised, middle level and lower level managers will get the opportunity to develop their talents by taking initiative which will also make them ready for higher managerial positions. The growth of the business greatly depends on the talented executives.

4. It Promotes Motivation: – Decentralisation helps in the formation of small organised groups. Since local managers are given a large degree of authority and autonomy, they tend to joint their people in small organised and integrated groups. This improves the morale of employees as they get involved in decision-making process.

5. Better Control and Supervision: –Decentralisation ensures better control and supervision as the subordinates at the lowest levels will have the authority to make independent decisions. As a result they have thorough knowledge of each and every activity under their control and are in a position to make amendments and take corrective action.

6. Quick Decision-Making:- Decentralisation makes decision making process easier and near to the action. This leads to quicker decision-making of lower level since decisions do not have to be referred up through the hierarchy.

Disadvantages of Decentralisation

Decentralisation can be extremely beneficial. But it can be dangerous unless it is carefully constructed and constantly monitored for the good of the company as a whole. Some disadvantages of decentralisation are:

1. Ability of Subordinates: – Under decentralisation, the success of the organisation depends entirely on ability of subordinates. Subordinates have the authority to take some important decisions along with the authority to take decisions on work of daily routine. If they are incapable the organisation may have to pay a heavy price of it.

2. Problem of Co-Ordination: –Decentralisation of authority creates problems of co-ordination as authority lies dispersed widely throughout the organisation. It also becomes a hurdle if there is no coordination between different levels of workers and managers in decision making.

3. More Financial Burden: –Decentralisation requires the employment of trained personnel to accept authority, it involves more financial burden and a small enterprise cannot afford to appoint experts in various fields.

4. Require Qualified Personnel: – Decentralisation becomes useless when there are no qualified and competent personnel in the organisation and they must have a same kind of exposure, experience and ability to make the decisions.

5. Conflict: –Decentralisation puts more pressure on divisional heads to realize profits at any cost. Often in meeting their new profit plans, bring conflicts among managers and conflicts arise which may become the reason of delay in decision making and implementation of various plans on time.

Major Differences between Delegation and Decentralization

1. Responsibility: – In delegation, a superior delegates or transfers some rights and duties to a subordinate but his responsibility in respect of that work does not end. On the other hand, decentralisation relieves him from responsibility and the subordinate becomes liable for that work and related results in the organisation.

2. Process: – Delegation is process while decentralisation is the end result of a deliberate policy of making delegation of authority to the lowest levels in managerial hierarchy.

3. Need: – Delegation is almost essential for the management to get things done in the organisation i.e., delegating requisite authority for performance of work assigned. Decentralisation may or may not be practiced as a systematic policy in the organisation.

4. Control: – In delegation the final control over the activities of organisation lies with the top executive while in decentralisation the power of control is exercised by the unit head to which the authority has been delegated.

5. Authority: – Delegation represents selecting dispersal of authority whereas decentralisation signifies the creation of autonomous and self-sufficient units or divisions.

6. Scope: – Delegation hardly poses any problem of co- ordination to the delegator of authority. While decentralisation poses a great problem in this regard since extreme freedom of action is given to the people by creating self-sufficient or autonomous units.

7. Good Results: –Decentralisation is effective only in big organisations whereas delegation is required and gives good results in all types of organisations irrespective of their size.

8. Nature: –Delegation is the result of human limitation to the span of management. Decentralisation is the other hand, is the result of the big size and multi-farious functions of the enterprise.

Conclusion

Delegation and Decentralization both are important for any organisation. Delegation of authority is the base for decetralisation. They are helpful to the success and progress of the organization, but there is a precondition for delegation that there should be a willingness of the manager to give freedom of work to the persons whom work is assigned. Delegation and Decentralization both have its merits and demerits. They are helpful to the success and progress of the organisation, but there is a precondition for the delegation that there should be a desire of the manager to give freedom of work to the persons whom work is assigned. Delegation is almost essential for the management to get things done in the organisation. Decentralisation may or may not be practiced as a systematic policy in the organisation. Delegation is required in each and every type of organisation irrespective of their size while, decentralisation is effective in large organisations where multifarious activities are done. Decentralisation may be successful in those organisations only where the subordinates are properly involved in decision making. They are not similar terms, but the decentralization is the result of the delegation of authority. So there is no competition between them as they both complete each other.

References:

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