Span of Control

Span of control or management is a technical term. It indicates that the number of subordinates , which a superior can direct and control efficiently. The ideology of span of control is based on Theory of relationship. * It refers to the number of subordinates and activities that a manager oversees. -span of control is that number of subordinates which can be inspected by a office. Span of management means that optimum number of subordinates which can be managed efficiently by the manager. Various experts have their own views as about the number of subordinates under a supervisor. E.F.Brech say- it must be 7. Urwich enumerates- it must be 5-6. whereas Hamilton suggests-3to 6. Span of Control is called by some other names too- span of management, span of supervision and span of authority. Purpose/Determinants/Importance of Span of Control Span of control of control is very important aspect of management. If a justified number of employees are not kept under the supervision of a manager, the quality work can not be assured. Following point may be put forth in this connection:

1.Continuous increase in the work-load of managers. 2. Every work can not be delegated. 3.Incresing size of complexities of business. 4. inter-relation of various activities. 5. Human limitations at work 6. Distinguish organizational set-up 7. Effects on production, productivity and costs.

DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
Delegation of authority is the essence sound organisation. It is an important process to manage the affairs of an enterprise satisfactorily. A manger can get things done through others by sharing authority with them. Delegation stands for calling others to render help in accomplishing a job. A manager has to resort to delegation because it is not possible for him to perform his job without the help of others. Authority is the rights or power conferred on an individual to make possible the performance of the work assigned. It includes the discretion to make decisions, to issue instructions to the subordinates, and to use organisational resources. The concept of authority implies the existence of responsibility. Responsibility Is the task or duty assigned to an individual in the organisation. The practice of granting authority to a subordinate for getting thing done from him is known as delegation of authority Henry Fayol defined authority as the right to give orders to and the power to extract obedience from the subordinates.

Meaning of Authority:-Fayol distinguished between the managers authority by position and by personality. A manger derives formal authority by virtue of his position in the organisation. He derives personal authority from his intelligence, knowledge, skills and experience. Most of the subordinates accepts his authority because of either his position or his qualities. Louis A. Allen said authority as the sum of the powers and rights entrusted to make possible the performance of the work assigned. It is the basic to the job of managing. A manager must have adequate authority to get things done through the subordinates. The features of managerial authority are1. Authority is the right or power to command and control the subordinates. 2. It is granted to a position (or manager) for the achievement of organisational objectives. 3. The authority may be exercise through persuasion or sanctions. If the subordinates does not obey, the superior has a right to take disciplinary action.

Meaning of responsibility:- The work or duties assigned to a person by virtue of his position in the organisation. The person carrying the responsibilities for the performance of a given task has also the authority to perform it. Example- if a project manager is responsible for the construction of a bridge, he has also the authority to command his subordinates, procure the needed materials, procure personnel and seek assistance from functional departments for the completion of the project. Responsibilities should be distinguished from accountability which is the obligation of an individual to render an account of the fulfillment of his responsibility to the superior to whom he reports. Meaning of Accountability:It is the obligation to carry out responsibility and exercise authority in terms of performance standards. Accountability to be effective, the standards of performance should be determined before entrusting a task and should be understood and accepted by the subordinates. The extent of accountability depends upon the extent of delegation of authority and responsibility. A person can not be held answerable for the acts not assigned to him by his superior.

Accountability is characterized by the following features:1. Accountability is the obligation to carry out the responsibility by the use of delegated authority. 2. Accountability always moves upwards. Since accountability is the obligation to account for the exercise of authority by the subordinate to his superior, it naturally moves upwards. 3. Accountability can not be delegated. Since it is the culmination of delegation of authority. A superior, merely delegating authority, can not abdicate his accountability altogether. He has to stand by the consequences of delegation and is accountable for acts of omission and commission on the part of his subordinates. 4. Accountability is always limited to the range of responsibilities allotted to a subordinate. A subordinate can not be held answerable for the acts beyond the scope of his responsibility.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

BASIC 1. Meaning AUTHORITY It is the right of a manager to command his subordinates. Authority arises because of a formal position in the organisation. Whosoever occupies the position, has the right to command the subordinates. RESPONSIBITY It is the duty of a subordinate to perform the jobs assigned to him by his boss. Responsibility arises from a superior-subordinate relationship. The subordinate is accountable since he owes an explanation to his superior for the performance of duties assigned. It can not be delegated. It is absolute. It always moves in upward direction as the subordinate is responsible to his superior. It indicates the duty cast upon a subordinate. Responsibility is created for appraisal of performance in relation to plans.

2. Origin/ Relationship

3. Delegation
[

4. Flow

Authority can be delegated to the subordinates. Authority always flows downwards, from a superior to his subordinates. Authority indicates the power enjoyed by a superior. Authority is delegated for getting the things done.

5. Indicates

6. purpose

PROCESS OF DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

Delegation means the assignment of the work to others and conferring them the requisite authority to accomplish the work assigned. Thus , delegation is based on the principle of division of work between the superior and the subordinate. According to Louis A. Allen, Delegation is the dynamics of management. It is the process a manger follows in dividing the work assigned to him so that he perform effectively, and so that he can get others to help him with what remains. *Delegation means the granting of authority to subordinates to operate within the prescribed limits. There is a close relationship between authority and responsibility. If authority is delegated without any responsibility, the authority is likely to be misused. And sufficient authority is not granted to the subordinate to perform the assigned, the effectiveness of delegation will get reduced. Therefore, balancing of authority and responsibility is essential. The limits of subordinates authority and responsibility must also be clearly defined.

The elements of delegation of authority are-

1. Entrustment of responsibility or duty. It means the work or duties assigned to a person by virtue of his position in the org.
2. Granting of authority- Right or power granted to an individual to make possible the performance of work assigned.

3. Creation of obligation of accountability:- Accountability is the obligation to carry out responsibilities and exercise authority in the term of performance standard established. The term accountability should not be confused with responsibility. Responsibility denotes the work to be done. It can be assigned to the subordinates. A subordinate will perform his responsibility well if he is given sufficient authority along with it. When the authority is accepted by the subordinate, he commits himself to account for the use of authority. Thus, accountability is the obligation for the performance of work assigned and authority delegated. IMPORTANCE OF DELEGATION Just as the authority is the key to managers job, delegation of authority is the key to organisation. Delegation is the means through which a manager can multiply himself. Delegation of Authority is an art of higher order. Every manager should be proficient in this art. Louis A. Allen has rightly remarked, How well one delegates determines how well one manages. 1. Reduction of work load.

2. Quick decision making

3. Technique of motivation
4. Technique of Training. 6. Healthy Relations 7. Business Growth.

PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION
1. Principle of Delegation by Results Expected 2. Authority Level Principle (Clarification of Limits of Authority) 3. Principle Parity of Authority and Responsibility

4. Principle of absoluteness of Accountability

5.Principle of Unity of command 6. Principle of Scalar chain 7. Principle of two way communication Decentralisation of Authority It means dispersal of decision making power to the lower levels of the organisation. Decentralisation refers to the systematic effort to delegate to the lowest levels all authority except that which can only be exercised at central points.