authority relationships, authority, responsibility, accountability, principles of delegation, importance of delegation, problems in delegation, what to delegate, whom to delegate, process of delegation, decentralization, importance of decentralization, difference between delegation and decentralization, conclusion

1. AUTHORITY RELATIONSHIPS:
DELEGATION AND
DECENTRALIZATION
IVANI KATAL
ROLL NO. 27
THE BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF
JAMMU

2. BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEBSITES E-BOOKS
www.mcqslearn.com Essentials of management
by Harold Koontz and Heinz
Weihrich
www.nptel.iitm.ac.in Principles of Management
by G. R. Terry
www.managementstudygui
de.com
Management: Tasks and
Responsibility by Peter F
Drucker
www.ncsu.edu Management Today:
Principles and Practices

3. OBJECTIVES
CLARIFYING THE PROCESS OF DELEGATION
BENEFITS OF DELEGATING
PROBLEMS IN DELEGATION
BARRIERS TO DELEGATION
DECENTRALIZATION
FACTORS INFLUENCING DECENTRALIZATION
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DELEGATION AND DECENTRALIZATION

4. DELEGATION
• In an organization, managers no matter how capable
they are, cannot perform all the tasks assigned to them
on their own.

5. • They, thus, assign some of the work to their
subordinates and give them authority to carry on the
work and at the same time make them accountable.
This process is termed as delegation.

6. 1000
UNITS
250250
250 250
PRODUCTION MANAGER
EXAMPLE

7. PRODUCTION MANAGER
250
250
250250

8. ELEMENTS
OF
DELEGATION
AUTHORITY
RESPONSIBILIT
Y
ACCOUNTABILIT
Y
According to Louis Allen, delegation is the entrustment of
responsibility and authority to another and the creation of
accountability for performance.

9. (i) AUTHORITY
• Authority refers to the power
and right of an individual to use
and allocate the resources
efficiently, to take decisions
and to give orders so as to
achieve the objectives of an
organization.
• Authority also refers to the
right to take decisions inherent
in a managerial position to tell
people what to do and expect
them to do it.
• Authority flows from top to
bottom i.e. a superior has
authority over his subordinate.

10. (ii) RESPONSIBILITY
• Responsibility is the obligation
of a subordinate to complete the
task assigned to him properly.
• Responsibility without adequate
authority leads to discontent
and dissatisfaction among
employees. On the other hand,
authority without responsibility
may lead to misuse of authority.
• Responsibility flows from
bottom to top i.e. a subordinate
will always be responsible to his
superior.

11. ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITY
EXAMINE
OBJECTIVES
DESIGNATE
ACTIVITIES
NECESSARY
TO REACH
OBJECTIVES
DESIGN JOBS
BY GROUPING
SIMILAR
ACTIVITIES
MAKE
INDIVIDUALS
RESPONSIBLE
FOR
PERFORMING
JOBS

12. (iii) ACCOUNTABILITY
• Accountability implies being
answerable for the final
outcome. Once authority has
been delegated and
responsibility accepted, one
cannot deny accountability.
• Delegation of authority
empowers an employee to act
for his superior but the
superior would still be
accountable for the outcome.

13. • If ‘A’ is given a task with sufficient authority and ‘A’ delegates
this task to ‘B’ and ‘C’ and asks them to ensure that task is
done well, responsibility rests with ‘B’ and ‘C’ but
accountability still rests with ‘A’.
AB C
ACCOUNTABILITY
AUTHORITY AUTHORITY
RESPONSIBILI
TY
RESPONSIBILITY

15. BOSS
YOU
STAF
F
RESPONSIBLE
ACCOUNTABLE
ENTRUST
RESPONSIBILITY AND
AUTHORITY

16. THREE POINTS TO BE NOTED
Authority can be delegated.
Responsibility cannot be
delegated but it can be assigned.
Accountability means obligation
and cannot be delegated.

17. PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION
• Principle of result expected- suggests that every
manager before delegating the powers to the subordinate
should be able to clearly define the goals as well as results
expected from them. The goals and targets should be
completely and clearly defined and the standards of
performance should also be notified clearly.
• For example, a marketing manager explains the salesmen
regarding the units of sale to take place in a particular day,
say ten units a day have to be the target sales. While a
marketing manger provides these guidelines of sales,
mentioning the target sales is very important so that the
salesman can perform his duty efficiently with a clear set of
mind.

18. PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION
• Principle of Parity of Authority and Responsibility-
According to this principle, the manager should keep a
balance between authority and responsibility. Both of them
should go hand in hand.
• According to this principle, if a subordinate is given a
responsibility to perform a task, then at the same time he
should be given enough independence and power to carry
out that task effectively. This principle also does not provide
excessive authority to the subordinate which at times can
be misused by him. The authority should be given in such a
way which matches the task given to him. Therefore, there
should be no degree of disparity between the two.

19. PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION
• Principle of absolute responsibility- This says that
the authority can be delegated but responsibility
cannot be delegated by managers to his subordinates
which means responsibility is fixed. The manager at
every level, no matter what is his authority, is always
responsible to his superior for carrying out his task by
delegating the powers.
• Every superior is responsible for the acts of their
subordinates and are accountable to their superior
therefore the superiors cannot pass the blame to the
subordinates even if he has delegated certain powers
to subordinates.

20. EXAMPLE
• If the production manager has been
given a work and the machine breaks
down. If repairman is not able to get
repair work done, production manager
will be responsible to CEO if their
production is not completed.

21. PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION
• Principle of Authority level- This principle suggests that a
manager should exercise his authority within the
jurisdiction/framework given. The manager should be
forced to consult their superiors with those matters of which
the authority is not given that means before a manager
takes any important decision, he should make sure that he
has the authority to do that on the other hand, subordinate
should also not frequently go with regards to their
complaints as well as suggestions to their superior if they
are not asked to do. This principle emphasizes on the
degree of authority and the level up to which it has to be
maintained.

22. IMPORTANCE OF DELEGATION
• Delegation relieve managers from heavy workload and
enable them to function more efficiently.
Effective management
• Delegation of authority allows managers to develop those
skills which will enable them to perform complex tasks.
Employee development
• When a superior entrusts a subordinate with a task,
employees feel that their superiors trust them and
recognize them.
Motivation of employees

23. • Delegation works as a training technique for employees
because when they are assigned with authority, they have to
take different decisions in different situations.
Facilitation of growth
• Delegation of authority creates superior subordinate
relationships, which tie various positions in an organization
together.
Basis of management hierarchy
• Delegation helps to avoid overlapping of duties and
duplication of efforts as it give a clear picture of the work
being done at various levels.
Better coordination
IMPORTANCE OF DELEGATION

24. Some bosses just love
having to make all the
decisions so they don’t
delegate their authority.
But these are the
people who create
bottlenecks because
others have to wait
around for them.

25. PROBLEMS IN DELEGATION
• WHY PEOPLE DON’T DELEGATE?
• BARRIERS FROM YOU
• BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM MEMBERS
• BARRIERS FROM SITUATION

26. BARRIERS FROM YOU
• NOT ENOUGH TIME
• One of the biggest barriers to delegation is the
perception that you do not have enough time
to either adequately explain the task or teach
your team member the skills necessary for a
delegated task. Even though it may take you
less time to complete that task now, where
does that put you the next time the task must
be completed? This feeling is paradoxical,
because one of the main benefits of delegation
is saving time.

27. • LOSING CONTROL
• People new to delegation often feel as though
they are giving up their control. It is a little
frightening to allow a team member to
complete a task for which you are ultimately
responsible. Communicating with those to
whom you've delegated frequently to check the
progress of the task can help decrease this
fear and give you some sense of control.
BARRIERS FROM YOU

28. • NOT GETTING CREDIT
• Some leaders feel that if they do not complete
the task, they will not get credit. You must learn
to share credit with others. Remember, the
better your team looks, the better you look.
BARRIERS FROM YOU

29. • LOSING TASKS YOU ENJOY
• You may occasionally have to delegate tasks
that you enjoy doing. Remember, as a leader
your job is to ‘think big,’ not to be bogged down
in recurring tasks. Seeing others succeed
because of your coaching will also be
enjoyable.
BARRIERS FROM YOU

30. • YOU CAN DO IT BETTER
• You may think that you are the only person
who can complete the job successfully.
Especially because you and your team are
part of a prestigious scholarship program, that
is probably not true. Your teammates are
highly capable!
BARRIERS FROM YOU

31. • DELEGATE OUT OF A JOB
• Some people resist delegation because they
believe they may delegate themselves out of
their job. Great! Now you can move to a higher
position, or volunteer to take on more
challenging tasks. Delegation improves
productivity, and this will be obvious to
everyone.
BARRIERS FROM YOU

32. • NO CONFIDENCE IN TEAM MEMBERS
• Some leaders resist delegation because they don’t have
faith in their team members. If this is true of you, start by
taking small risks. Early successes will encourage you
to delegate more. Learn to see the potential in your
team and make sure that you have adequately prepared
your team members for the tasks you assign. The more
prepared they are, the less worried you will be.
• You are not the only one that may be wary of delegation.
Your team members may also have some anxieties of
their own. Next, we describe several barriers to
delegation from the members of your team.
BARRIERS FROM YOU

33. BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS
• NOT ENOUGH TIME
• Some of your team members may feel that
they are already putting in extra time for your
team’s project. This may be true, so make sure
that you are fairly dividing tasks between
yourself and all of your team members. If
everyone feels overworked, you will have to
explain that in order to get the job done,
everyone needs to put forth the extra effort.

34. • NOT ENOUGH EXPERIENCE
• Some people, especially freshmen or young
students, may recognize that they do not have
enough experience for the tasks that need to
be completed. Do not be impatient with them
for lacking experience if they have not had the
opportunity to gain it. Begin by delegating
simple tasks so that they will gain confidence
with their success. As their skill level
increases, you will be able to confidently
delegate more difficult tasks to them.
BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS

35. • FEAR OF FAILURE
• Some of your team members may be afraid
that they will fail to accomplish the tasks you
delegate. Like the committee chair of the
senior retreat, give your teammates adequate
support and encouragement. Explain to them
that you will be monitoring their progress and
giving them feedback in order to correct any
mistakes before they become serious
problems.
BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS

36. • NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY
• In order to have a successful team, everyone
must be flexible and open to delegation.
Emphasize the importance of the task and the
benefits it will produce. Let them know that
their strengths and skills are important to the
completion of the task and the success of your
team.
BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS

37. • FEAR OF BEING A SCAPEGOAT
• Some teammates may feel that you will try to
pass the blame to them instead of accepting it
yourself. Make sure that your words and
actions say otherwise. Do not sacrifice your
team members to save yourself if something
goes wrong. This will only bring you contempt
and resentment as well as an unproductive
team.
BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS

38. • REACTIONS FROM OTHER TEAM
MEMBERS
• When delegating to a team member, they may
hesitate because of concerns of jealousy or
confrontation from other team members. If this is
the case, make sure you back up your delegation
with enough authority to get the job done. Also,
make sure that you are delegating tasks among
your teammates fairly.
BARRIERS FROM YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS

39. BARRIERS FROM THE
SITUATION
• RESOURCES
• Money is usually a concern for most organizations. If
this is a problem, try to work around it. Remember to be
flexible. If there is not enough money to send your class
on a retreat to Hawaii, be flexible with your destination.
Not getting your first choice does not make the whole
task a failure.
• HIERARCHY
• In some organizations, it is difficult to understand the
lines of authority and responsibility. Staff and faculty
members may share responsibilities, and ultimate
authority may lie with someone that is not always
available. Be aware of the situation and communicate
clearly so that you may work to overcome this obstacle.

40. Seven barriers that you may pose:
• Believing you do not have enough time.
• Fear of losing control.
• Fear of not getting credit.
• Fear of losing tasks that you enjoy.
• Thinking that you can do the task best
• Fear of delegating yourself out of your job.
• Lack of confidence in your teammates.

41. Six barriers that your teammates may
pose:
• Believing they do not have enough time.
• Believing they do not have enough
experience.
• Fear of failure.
• Believing the job is not their responsibility.
• Fear of being a scapegoat.
• Fear of negative reactions from other
teammates.

42. And, two barriers that your situation
may pose:
• Lack of resources.
• Lack of structure and blurred lines of
authority.

43. QUIZ
• If you feel like you will loose control over a task you
delegate, what should you do?
A. Do not delegate the task.
B. Do the task with your teammate.
C. Schedule regular meetings to check on their progress.
D. Tell your teammate exactly what to do.

44. • If your organization does not have enough resources
to allow a team member to complete the task, what
should you do?
A. Blame them for not getting the job done.
B. Give the task to someone else.
C. Recognize that the task will never be accomplished.
D. Remain flexible.
QUIZ

45. PROBLEMS IN DELEGATION
• WHY YOU SHOULD DELEGATE?
• BENEFITS FOR YOU
• BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM MEMBERS
• BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM

46. BENEFITS FOR YOU
• SAVE TIME
• As a leader, you must take time to think about
goals, not just activities. Let your teammates
pick up the routine tasks like scheduling
meetings and calling speakers. It is unwise to
spend your time doing tasks that your team
members are capable of completing
themselves.

47. • ACHIEVE MORE
• By not delegating, you place a heavy burden
on yourself. You may become so overwhelmed
that your performance and your health suffer.
Delegating routine work will relieve some of
your stress and give you more time to do your
job.
BENEFITS FOR YOU

48. • INCREASE YOUR VALUE
• Delegating can help enhance your credibility
as a leader. By allowing your teammates new
ways to show their responsibility, you get their
respect and loyalty. Having extra time will allow
you to look for more challenging tasks that can
increase the value of the activities you are
planning.
BENEFITS FOR YOU

49. BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS
• DEVELOPMENT
• When you delegate you will teach your team members
new skills and give them the opportunity to develop
themselves and achieve their goals. This makes them
more versatile and a more important part of your team.
• SELF – ESTEEM
• When you give a teammate a task, it shows that you
have trust and confidence in them. Having interesting
and challenging work feels good, and being trusted to
complete the job raises self-esteem. Having strong self-
esteem can motivate your teammates to accomplish
everyone’s goals.

50. • JOB ENHANCEMENT
• Having interesting jobs or tasks in a team
makes the work more enjoyable. When you
give your teammates more responsibility and
authority, they will begin to use their own
initiative and their imagination. This can lead to
new ideas and solutions to problems that you
may not have recognized, and like the senior
retreat committee, your team will feel
appreciated.
BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM
MEMBERS

51. BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM
• Efficiency
• Delegating tasks to your team members
ensures that all of the tasks are completed. If
you as a team leader do tasks that could be
accomplished by your team members, you
waste both your time and theirs.
• Flexibility
• When you delegate tasks to your team, move
the tasks around to different members. This
will increase the skills of everyone and the
flexibility of your team. This may prove
important if one of your members falls ill and
must be substituted with another.

52. • Teamwork
• Delegating new tasks to team members allows
them to build contacts with others whom they
do not normally work. This can lead to greater
teamwork and communication networking.
• Balanced Workloads
• When you delegate effectively, you can make
sure that everyone has an equal amount of
work. The perceived fairness in spreading out
the work will gain you respect from your team
members.
BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM

53. • Aid Communication
• An important part in delegation is making sure that
your teammates understand why they need to
accomplish their tasks. Explaining this need gives
you the chance to relate the tasks to the goals of
your organization. This will help your teammates
understand your team’s objectives.
• Retain Good Team Members
• Delegating tasks to team members keeps them
interested and motivated, and can keep people
from dropping out of your team. By demonstrating
that your team uses everyone’s talents to the
utmost, you will keep your team members happy.
BENEFITS FOR YOUR TEAM

54. QUIZ
• As a team leader, it is your responsibility to:
A. Complete all tasks by yourself.
B. Spend most of your time planning and strategizing.
C. Complete only the tasks you want to.
D. Keep tight control over your team.

55. • Which of the following is NOT a benefit of delegation?
A. Saving time.
B. Requiring fewer people.
C. Enhancing flexibility.
D. Skill development.
QUIZ

56. WHAT TO DELEGATE
• WHAT YOU SHOULD DELEGATE
• Routine Tasks
• These may be tasks that need to be done once
a week, once a month, or once every time a
project is completed. Before delegating these
tasks, make sure that they are necessary.
Unnecessary tasks should be eliminated.
• Interesting Tasks
• Do not keep all of the fun tasks for yourself. This
will offend your teammates and cause them to
resist the boring tasks that you give them.

57. • Tasks Others Could Do Better
• Use your team members’ skills and abilities. Give
them the tasks that they could do better so that you
can devote your time to other things. Do not
compete with your team members. If they can do a
task better, let them do it.
• Tasks Others Might Enjoy
• If you have completed a certain task repeatedly,
you may have become bored with it. Delegate this
task to a teammate if you think they would enjoy it.
If a teammate volunteers for a certain task, let
them have it.

58. • Tasks Good for Development
• Delegate tasks to team members who would
benefit from the additional skill development. If you
are already good at completing a certain task, let
someone else have a chance to try it.
• Whole Tasks
• Try to delegate whole tasks instead of dividing
them into pieces. In this way, your team members
will see the development and outcome of the task
and enjoy it more. This will also prevent you from
having to worry about keeping the pieces together.

59. • Time-Consuming Tasks
• If you need to spend more time planning and
strategizing, delegate your most time-
consuming tasks. This will free up the time you
need to do your job.
• Tasks for Which You Are Not
Responsible
• People often keep tasks that they enjoy most
for themselves even if the task is not their
responsibility. These tasks are not the best
way to spend your time and energy.

60. • WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DELEGATE
• Boring tasks
• Crises
• Ill-defined tasks
• Confidential matters
• Praise or reprimand
• Planning the development of your team
• Tasks for which you are responsible

61. QUIZ
• Which of the following tasks should NOT be
delegated?
A. An interesting task.
B. One good for development.
C. One involving praise.
D. One a team member could do better.

62. TO WHOM TO DELEGATE
Know Your Objectives
• When first considering to whom you should delegate a task,
you must weigh the following three objectives.
 SHORT TERM VS LONG TERM GOALS
• Those leaders who think only with short-term goals in mind
tend to pick the best person, but not the right person to whom
to delegate.
 DEADLINES
• If you are up against a tight deadline, you may not have time
to delegate a task to someone who needs some training.
 DEVELOPMENT
• Identify tasks which are not critical or urgent, and which can
handle a few mistakes without causing serious problems.
Delegate these tasks to teammates who need skill
development.

63. Know Your Team Members
In order to delegate effectively, you must know your team
members.
 Skills
• You must know your teammates abilities before
knowing whether they are a good match for a
delegation task. Will they need much supervision,
training or support? What types of work do your
teammates like and dislike? You should be able to
answer these questions for each of your team members
before trying to delegate.
 Evaluation
• Delegation often reveals your teammates strengths and
weaknesses that may not have been apparent
beforehand.

64.  Development Opportunities
• Know which areas your teammates need additional
practice and expertise. Delegate tasks to those people
so that they can achieve their developmental goals.
 Workload
• Keep track of your teammates’ workloads. If someone
truly does not have enough time to complete a task
adequately, delegate that task to someone who has a
lighter workload.
 Resistance
• You should delegate tasks even to teammates who
resist accepting them. As a leader, it is your
responsibility to define tasks within a person’s abilities
and encourage them to develop their skills.

65. QUIZ
• What do you need to know about a team member
before you delegate a task to them?
A. Their skills.
B. Areas in which they need development.
C. What the task requires.
D. All of the above.

66. QUIZ
• What is meant by “Delegate to the right person, not the
best person?”
A. You should delegate to the person who will benefit the
most.
B. You should delegate to the person who will do the best
job.
C. You should delegate to the person who will get the job
done fastest.
D. You should keep all urgent tasks to yourself.

67. THE PROCESS OF DELEGATION
PREPARATION
• Before you actually delegate, you must first plan the
delegation process. However, until that time comes, you
must spend time on the following four areas before you
begin to delegate.
 Make A List of Tasks and Teammates
• You will need to decide which tasks you usually do, and
which tasks take up large amounts of your time. Define
these tasks in terms of the outcomes you want and the
deadlines you must meet. Make a list of the tasks you
are going to delegate. Next, make a list of all your
teammates alongside the list of delegation tasks. Now
draw a line from these tasks to the teammates that
would be best suited to accomplish those tasks.

68.  Define Your Outcomes
• Before you delegate a task to a teammate, you
must know the desired outcomes of the task.
Perhaps you want a nationally recognized speaker
to give a talk about the dangers of air pollution for
an hour at your next meeting. You must tell your
teammate the specific outcomes expected so that
they do not get off track.

69.  Know Supplies, Resources, and Authority
Required
• Once you have decided on the tasks and your
teammates, think about the supplies, resources
and authority those tasks require. For example, if a
speaker needs to be contacted, you must make
sure that your teammate not only has their phone
number, but also the contacts to get a hold of that
person. If you cannot supply these resources,
there is a strong chance that your teammate will
fail.

70.  Anticipate Questions
• Your teammates will most likely have questions,
and may possibly resist the responsibility you give
them. Anticipate these questions and resistance
beforehand so that you can address them
effectively.

71. CHOOSE A TASK
 Deadlines Required
• Are the deadlines far away, or do the tasks need to
be completed immediately? Answers to these
questions will affect which teammate you choose.
 Quality of Work Needed
• Think about times where your teammates have been
eager to work on certain tasks. Eager teammates
often produce a high quality of work. If quality is not
important, delegate to inexperienced teammates.

72.  Development Opportunities
• Tasks that are not urgent or critical should be used for
development. If one of your teammates is shy and
needs to work on his or her public speaking skills,
delegate a task that will give him the opportunity to work
on those skills. A short presentation in front of a small
group may be a good step toward overcoming the fear
of speaking in front of a crowded room. Learn to spot
tasks that will help your teammates’ skill development.

73. CHOOSE A TEAM MEMBER
 SKILLS
• When choosing a team member to accomplish a
delegated task, you must know their skill level.
 DEVELOPMENT
• Try to delegate tasks to those teammates that need
the most development.

74. DELEGATE
• Schedule a Meeting
• State Desired Results
• Give Clear Instructions
• Involve the Team Members
• Explain What, Not How
• Assign Accountability
• Check Progress
• Collaborate on a Deadline
• Get a Commitment
• Let Go!

75. FOLLOW-UP AT MEETINGS
 Support
• Like the senior retreat leader, make sure your
teammates know that you support them. Be prepared to
defend their actions, and give them help when it is
requested. Refrain, however, from doing the job
yourself. Act as a facilitator by guiding and advising
them without taking over their job.
 Encouragement
• When the delegated task is going well, make sure to
give your teammates positive feedback. Encourage and
reinforce them for a job well done.
 Modification
• Use feedback to modify or correct your teammate’s
progress. If you are concerned about problems or about
the successful completion of the task, let them know
and guide them back onto the right track.

76.  WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS
 Get a Summary
• If your teammate comes to you with a problem, listen to
them first. Then ask questions to make sure you
understand what is happening or to gather more
information. Do not be judgmental, and do not jump to
conclusions. First strive to understand what happened and
why.
 Get a Solution
• Next, ask your teammate for their solution. This will keep
them from dumping the task onto you. Asking for your
teammate’s solution also shows that you want them to use
their own initiative and problem-solving skills.
 Wait
• If a solution is not clear, or the outcome is extremely
important, do not make a hasty decision. Give all of the
information time to sink in before examining solutions with
your teammate.

77.  Delegate Corrective Action
• Once you and your teammate have decided upon a
solution, let your teammate get started on it. Let them
know that you will follow-up with them on their progress,
and make sure that they feel comfortable enough to
return if the solution does not work, or if more troubles
arise.
 Guard Against ‘Reverse Delegation’
• Do not let delegated tasks fall back on you. This tells
your teammates that what you delegate is easily
returnable and that your decisions are not firm. If you
allow your teammates to reverse delegate, they may
make a habit out of accepting and then returning
delegated tasks. If you see this as a potential problem,
make sure to have your teammate commit again to
success.

78. EVALUATION
 Constructive Criticism
• When giving criticism, try to sandwich it between
praise. You may say something like: “I’m very
pleased with the information that you have gathered.
 Criticize the Actions, Not the Person
• If you must give negative criticism, do it as soon as
possible and be sure you have all of the facts. When
making criticisms, criticize your teammate’s actions,
not their person.
 Give Credit When It’s Due
• When a task is successfully completed, give your
teammates credit. If possible, give praise in public.
This not only makes your teammate proud, but also
sets a standard for the other team members.

79. QUIZ
• When delegating to a teammate, what should you
refrain from telling them?
A. The desired results.
B. How to achieve the results.
C. Your team’s goals.
D. That you will give them support.

80. QUIZ
• When your teammate has problems with the task, what
should you NOT do?
A. Listen to the problem.
B. Let your teammate suggest a solution.
C. Let your teammate implement the solution.
D. Take back the task.

81. DECENTRALIZATION
• In many organizations, the top management plays an
active role in taking all decisions while there are others in
which this power is given to even the lower levels of
management.

82. • Those organizations in
which decision making
authority lies with the top
management are termed
as centralized
organizations whereas
those in which authority is
shared with lower levels
are decentralized
organizations.

83. DECENTRALIZATION MODEL
• Decentralization refers to the delegation of authority
throughout all the levels of an organization.

84. EXAMPLE
• Traffic police controls
movement of vehicles on
road. He holds a lower level
position in the organization
yet he has a lot of authority
given to him. Senior officers
concentrate on ways and
means to improve traffic
control.

85. DECENTRALIZATION
• An organization can never be completely centralized or
decentralized as in large organizations employees who are
directly involved with certain operations tend to have more
knowledge about the operations than the top management.
• It is not so important to consider whether decentralization
should be adopted or not but what is important is that to
what extent it should be adopted. What authority should be
given to subordinates and what authority should remain
reserved with superiors.

86. IMPORTANCE OF
DECENTRALIZATION
 INITIATIVE AMONG SUBORDINATES
• Decentralization leads to delegation of authorities in
large amount. A person with right authority is compelled
to contour plate or to do something new. This inculcates
in him the ability to take the initiative.
 MANAGERIAL TALENT FOR THE FUTURE
• Decentralization provides the opportunity to take
decisions, adds to the knowledge and experience of
managers at all levels and develops talent to bear extra
responsibility in future.

87.  QUICK DECISION MAKING
• In a decentralized organization, the burden of
managerial decisions does not lie on a few individuals
but it is distributed among many people with complete
knowledge about their units or departments.
• This leads to quick as well as better decision making.
 BETTER CONTROL
• Decentralization makes it possible to evaluate
performance at each level and departments can be
individually held accountable for their performances.
• Management adopts better control systems such as
balance score card and management information
systems.
IMPORTANCE OF
DECENTRALIZATION

88.  RELIEF TO TOP MANAGEMENT
• Under decentralization, the daily managerial work is
assigned to subordinates. It leaves the top management
with more time which they can devote to formulate
policies and plans as well as to perform the functions of
coordinating, controlling and so on.
 FACILITATES GROWTH
• Decentralization provides full liberty to the lower levels
of management as well as divisional or departmental
heads. This allows them to make efforts in order to
achieve better results and fosters a sense of competition
among different departments of an organization. This
leads to an increase in the productivity levels of an
organization.
IMPORTANCE OF
DECENTRALIZATION

89. DELEGATION AND DECENTRALIZATION
BASIS DELEGATION DECENTRALIZATION
Meaning Managers delegate
some of their function
and authority to their
subordinates.
Right to take decisions is
shared by top
management and other
level of management.
Scope Scope of delegation is
limited as superior
delegates the powers to
the subordinates on
individual bases.
Scope is wide as the
decision making is
shared by the
subordinates also.
Responsibility Responsibility remains of
the managers and
cannot be delegated.
Responsibility is also
delegated to
subordinates.
Nature It is a routine function. It is an important
decision of an
enterprise.

90. BASIS DELEGATION DECENTRALIZATION
Freedom of
Work
Freedom is not given to
the subordinates as they
have to work as per the
instructions of their
superiors.
Freedom to work can be
maintained by
subordinates as they are
free to take decision and to
implement it.
Need on
purpose
Delegation is important
in all concerns whether
big or small. No
enterprises can work
without delegation.
Decentralization becomes
more important in large
concerns and it depends
upon the decision made by
the enterprise, it is not
compulsory.
Grant of
Authority
The authority is granted
by one individual to
another.
It is a systematic act which
takes place at all levels
and at all functions in a
concern.
Freedom of
Action
Very little freedom to the
subordinates.
Considerable freedom.

91. BASIS DELEGATION DECENTRALIZATION
Grant of
Responsibility
Responsibility cannot
be delegated.
Authority with
responsibility is delegated
to subordinates.
Significance Delegation is essential
for creating the
organization.
Decentralization is an
optional policy at the
discretion of top
management.
Withdrawal Delegated authority can
be taken back.
It is considered as a
general policy of top
management and is
applicable to all
departments.
Process Delegation is a process
which explains superior
subordinates
relationship.
It is an outcome which
explains relationship
between top management
and all other departments.

92. CONCLUSION
• Delegation is the transfer of authority from superior to
subordinate.
• Delegation has three elements: authority, responsibility and
accountability.
• While authority is delegated, responsibility is assumed,
accountability is imposed.
• Responsibility is derived from authority and accountability
is derived from responsibility.
• Delegation helps in effective management, employee
development, motivation, growth and coordination.

93. • Decentralization is delegation of authority throughout the
organization.
• Decentralization helps in the development of managerial
talent, quick decision making, reducing burden on top
management, development of initiative, growth and better
control
CONCLUSION

94. BIBLIOGRAPHY
WEBSITES E-BOOKS
www.mcqslearn.com Essentials of management
by Harold Koontz and Heinz
Weihrich
www.nptel.iitm.ac.in Principles of Management
by G. R. Terry
www.managementstudygui
de.com
Management: Tasks and
Responsibility
www.ncsu.edu Management Today:
Principles and Practices

95. •QUERIES ???