Short notes on the process of Delegation of Authority

According to Allen, “Delegation is the dynamics of management, it is the process a manager follows in dividing the work assigned to him so that he performs that part which only he, because of his unique organisational placement, can perform effectively and so that he can get others to help him with what remains.”

According to G.R.Terry, “to delegate means to grant or confer and delegation means conferring authority from one executive or organisational unit to another in order to accomplish particular assignment”.

“Delegation means the passing on to others of a share in the essential elements of the management process a share, that is to say, in the judgment/decision for determining specific objectives, plans and targets for directing given operations, and in the command/ control of the activities of the persons performing those operations.”

“To delegate means to grant or confer; and delegation means conferring authority from one executive or organisation unit to another in order to accomplish particular assignment.”

“Delegation is the process where an individual or group transfers to some other individual organs the duty of carrying out some particular action and, at the same time, taking some particular decision.”

If concern is a medium or large one, it becomes difficult for the office manager to do the works of the organisation. When he feels the lack of time to do a particular job within a specified time, he entrusts the work to his sub-ordinates.

Now the sub-ordinates have the delegation of authority in doing the entrusted work. If the office manager divides the works among his sub-ordinates, he gets time to look after his managerial functions, which are more important to him.

In business concerns, the source of authority originates from the top of the firm; and the authority part by part, is delegated to the following persons-directors, secretary, managers, etc., and further from these persons delegation of authority is transmitted to various sub-ordinates.

Delegation of authority shares the managerial work and operating work between a manager and his sub-ordinates. At the top of concern the scope of authority is wider and as it passes to the sub-ordinates, the scope of authority becomes narrower.