2. Introduction
• It might seem easy to work in an organization but managing it? Well, that takes a lot
more than just working on the tasks and submitting them on time. It needs three main
factors so that an organization goes on smoothly. The three main factors that are needed
to be followed are Authority, Responsibility, and Accountability. Without these three
factors, it might have been a mess inside any organization.
• These three factors are also important for the employee and the superior to complete
their tasks. If these factors are not exercised well, the employee will slack out and not
work on their tasks and hence leading to a pile of work in no time.
• In general terms, Authority is all about power. Responsibility is the commitment to
fulfilling work. Accountability refers to the Responsibility to answer for duty. These
terms showcase the basic etiquette of management.
3.
4. Authority
• 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.
• An organization cannot think of its existence without proper assignment and detailing of
authority throughout the organization.
• Authority flows downwards as the top management provides it to the managers and
executives at different levels of management. It needs to be accepted from the below too,
i.e, from the subordinates.
5. Responsibility
• Responsibility is nothing but the duty that comes along with the job. In other
words, it is the obligation of the person to complete the task given to him/her.
• It becomes his responsibility. Moreover, it shows that the authority is properly
used and work is done accordingly. Under this, a person is eligible to delegate the
work to the subordinate but not the ultimate accountability.
• That means, even if he transfers his work, he will remain responsible for the
obligation of the accomplishment of the work.
6. Accountability
• It is nothing but the liability created for the transfer of authority.
Accountability creates the obligation of the subordinate and makes
him answerable for the work done by him/her.
• Hence, it is the answerability for the performance of the assigned
duties. Once a person accepts authority, he deems to accept
Responsibility and Accountability at that time only.
7.
8.
9. Balance
• All of the 3 elements are very much related to each other as the creation of one leads to
the creation of another two at a similar point of time. None of the elements can exist in
isolation. That’s why the top management needs a lot of consideration before deciding the
flow of authority. Once authority to take any action for the accomplishment of any objective
is given, the remaining 2 elements viz, Responsibility and Accountability emerges
automatically.
• In conclusion, balance between the three is necessary to ensure smooth and profitable
running in an organization. When there is a lack of any one of the three, not just an
individual, but the entire organization faces severe backlash and losses.
