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Essay: The role of authority in management

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Management cannot be simply defined, there are several different definitions, and factors influencing whether it is successful. One definition of management is “the ability to forecast and plan, to organise, to command and to co-ordinate” (Naylor 2004, p. 25). In addition, Tony Watson believes management is the ability to organize and pull things together in order to create long-term survival to the organisation (Needle 2010, p. 228). Authority can be defined as the power or right to give orders and make decisions, whereas influence is the ability to affect ideas and actions. In terms of being successful, it can be defined in terms of monetary rewards, whereas others may say it can be defined by having a positive impact on others. In this essay I will assess the idea of management, and the ways in which it can be successful, and whether influence or authority is the key determinist.

Authority is fundamental to a business structure as it provides individuals in senior positions to make decisions and give orders to employee’s orders to fulfil the requirements of the organisation (Mar, 2013). The role of any individual in a managerial position cannot be under-estimated, firms cannot forecast or execute plans without a strong authoritative manager.  

The role of authority can be explained through a hierachical structure, in which the higher your position, the level of authority directly increases. Henri Fayol has completed extensive research with regards to management within business. According to Fayol, the principles of management are based on planning, organizing, commanding, co-ordinating and controlling, in which this is directly linked to the level of authority. (Needle 2010, p. 233). In order to be classified as successful, the role of authority must be evaluated. The level and effect of management can differ depending on level of seniority, in which management is based on the principles of a hierarchical system. This ensures that each individual in a managerial position can be easily distinguished. Furthermore, this supports the view that level of authority is directly linked to the position of the individual within the organisation. In addition, the Internal Process Model supports the basis of this theory.  This theory is based upon the implementation of rules, specifically relating to goal optimization and conduct within the organisation (Boddy, 2013). The processes involved within this model ensure that stability and control is upheld throughout the organisation. The key aspect of this model is that this theory is based on an authoritative structure arranged in a heirachy of jobs whereby authority is the significant factor that enables the tasks to be completed whilst maintaining control and stability (Needle 2010, p. 233).

Marks and Spencer is an example of an organisation that has adopted the hierachial structure in the current climate. In the case of Marks and Spencer, they have line managers in each store, regional managers and head office, as you go up the company the level of authority increases directly to the level of seniority within the company. Results have shown that aims on a regional and national basis have been achieved, thus highlighting the importance of authority within an organisation through the successful implementation of a heirachial structure (Marks and PLC).

The role of authority is key to the success of a business, as it is needed to exert power through the organisation.  The right to manage is reinforced through the role of authority, which can be expressed through the various types of power (Needle 2010 p. 229).

Authority can be referred to as a form of power, in which a particular skillset is not required, in turn highlighting how easy it is adopt (O’Mahoney, 2015). Power can be defined in 3 ways; legitimate power whereby an individual’s role gives provides the basis for power being exercised. French and Raven’s Five Forms of Power can be used too highlight the importance of power, in which it highlights 3 types of power (Wrote, 2016). Reward power is based on the principle that individuals who hold a position of management can reward individuals who follow instructions; in contrast coercive power rises from exercising punishments through the organisation to individuals who do not comply with instructions and/or goals of the organisation. Furthermore, French and Raven’s model of power suggests the most important aspect is expert power, which arises from being an expert in a given field. Although a particular skillset is not required, showing intellectual power is a form of authority that can be used in order to achieve the goals on an organisation. A study completed on individuals participating on Harvard programs highlighted the effect of cortisol levels in terms of power. Managers reported less anxiety and lower levels of cortisol in comparison with sub-coordinates due to their heightened sense of power, which is directly linked to their hierarchical position within the organization (Cuddy et al, 2013). In terms of being successful, the individual must exert power in order to create a sense of authority. The key aspect in terms of success is getting the balance correct as exerting too much authority in the form of power could lead to a disillusioned workforce, whereby co-operation towards the aim of the organization is severely affected (Forsgen, 2013).  

The key role of manager is to focus on the functional, strategic and organisational aspects of the businesses in conjunction with coping with the external environment (Needle, 2010, p.228).  In terms of the organisation, having an authoritative manager is critical as it directly represents what shall be.

The role of authority within an organisation can get the organisation as a whole functional, in which aims and objectives off the organisation are clearly defined.  If authority is absent, a manager ceases to be classified as a “manager”, as his or hers policies cease to be adopted and implemented effectively (Schedlitzki and Edwards, 2014). The ability to manage with authority is not all about getting the work done personally, subsequently it is the ability to split and manage the workload amongst the sub-coordinates, however with the aim of still achieving and exceeding company expectations. Managers who lead by using this form of authority can obtain what is explicitly required, as they see individuals as a form of resources, in turn utilise this to achieve monetary goals. Sub-coordinates unearth the authority of management give maximum output, in order to ensure the work is completed and to gain a sense of authority for themselves. The authoritative manager does not usually know the direct path in order to succeed which can be a huge limitation, in turn cannot teach the organisation what he does not know, however lays the foundations for success (Wagner, 2016). The key aspect of being a successful manager with regards to this is the ability to create accountability, in which the sub-coordinates accept delegation.  

As explained in the previous section of this essay, authority is a crucial factor to be successful in management, however influence is also a crucial determinist. Influence can be defined as the art of natural management, in which the views of sub-coordinates are affected, in turn internalising the message. Managers with influence are able to have a direct effect on other people’s performance, due to the vision, competence and credibility of the individual.

The role of influence is crucial to being a successful manager as it affects the views of others, whereas authority was based on the basis of giving orders. Influence is not about giving orders or exerting power, it is about setting a foundation to influence the behaviour and performance the individuals as stated by Charles Handy (Donne, 2016). With regards to the scientific industry, research found that scientists valued input from their manager at early stages of a project in comparison with othe
r parts. The importance of positive influence cannot be under-estimated, this shows that workers wanted a sense of direction on the new project, which could in turn lead to them adopting a similar view to their manager. Furthermore, this shows that another fundamental aspect of management is the ability to provide regular feedback and evaluation, rather than providing direct answers and orders (Tidd and Bessant, 2014). Managers, who adopt this non-authoritarian method, tend to generate a respect as individuals act out of their own beliefs and change their outlook on a given problem. In order to be successful with regards to having an influence, the manager, “must exert influence and encourage the accomplishment of important things, in which clear guidance is provided and keep all employees working towards one common goal (Tidd and Bessant, 2014, p. 69). In contrast Senge argues that leadership is not a position, influence occurs through the process of having an affect on an individual views. Subsequently this limits the view that a manger requires influence as an employee could influence a fellow colleague, not just an individual with a managerial position, thus does mean it is required to be successful. (Naylor, 2004, p. 355).

Influence is not solely about the ability to alter an individuals view, it is known as a basis for management, however relies on the ability to articulate words and understands the requirements of employees to form and sustain relationships (Mar, A. (2013). Whereas an authoritative manager sees workers just as resources that can be used to fulfil goals, an influential manager tends to a have strong interest on the personal and professional motivations for each member off staff, thus taking a genuine interest. Managers who are effective in terms of influence tend to yield the maximum results and co-operation from workers, in which the influencer plays a crucial role as they represent what, the organisation could be (Farkas et al, 1996). The Path Goal Theory highlights that individuals in managerial positions can a direct influence over sub-coordinates by recognising and satisfying expectations. Influential managers must ensure they make it clear that their workers need to be satisfied if performance is sufficient. This further shows that the role of a successful manager entails tailoring the rewards for workers in turn making it easier to achieve work objectives. (Naylor, 2004, p. 364).  In order to be successful, the manager must maintain these relationships overtime and evaluate performance, which could be completed through employee appraisal, regular employee satisfaction surveys, and the overall performance of the company, which can be obtained through company statistics.

In conclusion, as shown in this essay both influence and authority are factors that can define whether a manager is successful. The importance of authority to a manager cannot be under-estimated; it is fundamental in order to be successful, therefore is based on monetary rewards. Authority constructs a hierarchical structure, which can be followed by sub-coordinates of the manager, in which a form of control is exerted. However the exertion of control can lead to a disillusioned workforce, in turn negatively affecting the company. Authority is fundamental to ensuring tasks are completed, as delegation can occur, streamlining the organization and having some economic benefit.  However the manager may not fully know the right way to succeed, meaning in terms of intellect can be restricted. On the other hand the importance of influence to a manager is also crucial, as it alters the beliefs of the workforce, however is not based position of management, whereby success is based on the principle of impacting others.. Influence is also important factor, as it can be used to form and maintain relationships by recognising performance, in turn overall impacting the organisation in a positive way (Boddy, 2013). Overall in order to be successful in management the individual must adopt both influence and authority, however authority is the most crucial factor in order to be successful.

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