Scribd
Upload
2 views

Week 7 Organizing & Delegation

The document outlines key concepts in organizing and delegation within business management, including definitions and types of authority, job design methods, and the delegation process. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of decentralization, principles of effective delegation, and barriers that managers face in delegating tasks. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of communication and understanding subordinates' capabilities in the delegation process.

Uploaded by

tinashed913
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views

Week 7 Organizing & Delegation

The document outlines key concepts in organizing and delegation within business management, including definitions and types of authority, job design methods, and the delegation process. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of decentralization, principles of effective delegation, and barriers that managers face in delegating tasks. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of communication and understanding subordinates' capabilities in the delegation process.

Uploaded by

tinashed913
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 22

Business Management 2

(B6-BM2-13)
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION,
CONT’
Objectives
By the end of the session, students should
be able to:

• Define authority
• Outline the types of authority
• Describe job design methods
• Discuss the concept of delegation, benefits,
limitations, and have an understanding of the
delegation process.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

• Authority has been defined as the right to give


orders, make decisions and use resources.
• Authority is normally delegated by the
shareholders to the board of directors until it
reaches the lower levels of management.
• Managers acquire authority from their
positions, not from their personal
characteristics.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Types of Authority
1.Formal authority: Formal authority is shown by the
organizational chart which refers to specific
relationships among employees.
2. Line and staff authority: Line authority entails the
responsibility to make decisions and issue orders
down the chain of command, for example a Production
Manager is a line manager in a firm. Staff authority is
mainly concerned with having the responsibility to
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

assist other personnel, normally line managers, for


example, a Company Secretary who gives expert advice
to the Chairperson of the board of directors as well as to
the CEO.

3. Centralized and decentralized authority: Centralization


of authority refers to a situation where all important
decisions within the organization are made by top
managers whilst in decentralized authority decisions are
made by middle and lower level managers.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Advantages of decentralization
• Reduction of top management workload, hence they
can concentrate on important issues
• Quick decision making
• Motivates lower level managers
• Fosters a competitive climate in the organization

Disadvantages of decentralization
• Loss of control of the firm’s sub-units
• Duplication of tasks
• More expensive, requires training
ORGANIZING AND
DELEGATION
JOB DESIGN
• Job design is the process of combining the tasks that
each employee is responsible for, which is an
important element of organizing since it affects
productivity. Elements of job design are:

a) Job specialization: Refers to the narrowing of


activities to simplified, repetitive routines.
b) Job expansion: Jobs can be expanded through job
rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

• Job rotation: performing different jobs within


a specific time. Examples?
• Job enlargement: Carrying out a wide range
of activities within the same job.
• Job enrichment: Adding depth to the job, for
example, decision making and independence
in performing duties.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

DELEGATION
• Managers get their work done through other people.
Delegation is the process through which managers
assign a portion of their workload to others.
• Even though managers delegate authority, they still
remain accountable for the completion of the job,
hence they are accountable for the actions of their
subordinates and their own actions. They are still
accountable to their superiors in those two respects.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Discussion: Is delegation the same


as decentralization?
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Principles of effective delegation


• Explain to subordinates the reason for delegating
• Set clear standards and goals with the participation
of employees
• Ensure clarity of authority and responsibility
• Involve subordinates in the decision making process
• Request the completion of tasks within a specific
period
• Provide performance training
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

• Provide feedback to the subordinate on how


he/she will be performing.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Discussion: If you were a manager in


Company A, would you be willing to
delegate authority? Why or why not?
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION
Advantages of delegation
a) Delegation frees management- managers
will be free to concentrate on major issues
b) Leads to better decisions- Those who are
closest to the scene of action may be in the
best position to make decisions.
c) Helps develop subordinates- delegation
increases the chances of subordinates to
accept responsibility.
d) Delegation helps in timely completion of
tasks.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Reasons why managers do not want to delegate


• The manager’s own performance may suffer in the
event that subordinates fail to perform the job
properly.
• Managers may feel that subordinates may not
perform the job as well as they can do it probably
arising from the lack of confidence in subordinates.
• Managers may be disorganized to the extent that
they may not know how and what to delegate.
• Managers may also be unwilling to delegate since
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

they fear that their subordinates will do a better


job than themselves.
Subordinate related problems
• Subordinates may fear that in the event that
they fail to perform the job that could result in
disciplinary action being taken against them.
• Inadequate rewards.
• Lack of self confidence.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION

Overcoming the barriers to effective delegation


• Create a culture of continuous learning in the
organization which can be an important
organizational capability for survival.
• Managers should delegate in terms of expected
results. The question on how the task should be
performed lies with the subordinate.
• Constant communication is key to effective
delegation. In instances where the tasks are not
clearly defined, always communicate with the
concerned subordinate.
ORGANIZING AND
DELEGATION
• Managers should determine the capabilities
of their subordinates before they delegate.
They should have faith in their subordinates
in the completion of the task.
ORGANIZING AND DELEGATION
The delegation process
• Decide on the tasks to be delegated. The
nature of the task should be determined and
challenging tasks should also be delegated to
subordinates.
• Decide who should perform the tasks based on
the subordinate’s experience and
competencies.
• Provide the necessary resources to carry out
the delegated tasks.
• (Video: Delegation skills for managers)
Blackboard Questions
1. Discuss the merits and demerits of decentralization.
2. Explain the different types of authority. Why is there
constant conflict between staff and line managers?
3. Outline the benefits of delegation in a firm.
4. Identify and explain the reasons why some
managers do not want to delegate authority. How
can such barriers to effective delegation be
overcome?
5. Describe the steps in the delegation process.
Thank you!

You might also like