Governance: Authority (Definitions)

[formal authority:] "Explicit power granted to meet an explicit set of service expectations, such as those in job descriptions or legislative mandates." (Alexander Grashow et al, "The Practice of Adaptive Leadership", 2009)

"Formal or informal power within a system, entrusted by one party to another in exchange for a service. The basic services, or social functions, provided by authorities are: (1) direction; (2) protection; and (3) order." (Alexander Grashow et al, "The Practice of Adaptive Leadership", 2009)

[informal authority:] "Power granted implicitly to meet a set of service expectations, such as representing cultural norms like civility or being given moral authority to champion the aspirations of a movement." (Alexander Grashow et al, "The Practice of Adaptive Leadership", 2009)

[Decision-making authority:] "Refers to the decisions that agents are authorized to make on behalf of principals. (585)" (Leslie G Eldenburg & Susan K Wolcott, "Cost Management 2nd Ed", 2011)

"The right to apply project resources, expend funds, make decisions, or give approvals." (Cynthia Stackpole, "PMP Certification All-in-One For Dummies", 2011)

"The explicit or implicit delegation of power or responsibility for a particular activity." (Sally-Anne Pitt, "Internal Audit Quality", 2014)

"The power vested in a person by virtue of her role to expend resources: financial, material, technical, and human." (Fred MacKenzie, "7 Paths to Managerial Leadership", 2016)

"The ability of a role incumbent to apply resources to a task without reference to another person." (Catherine Burke et al, "Systems Leadership" 2nd Ed., 2018)

"‘The right, given by constitution, law, role description or mutual agreement for one person to require another person to act in a prescribed way (specified in the document or agreement). The likelihood of exercising authority effectively will usually depend upon good Social Process Skills’. The acceptance of the exercise of authority within a work organisation is a function of the contract of employment. Is it essential that there is a clear understanding of the difference between authority and power and that authority is not a one-way process. In a correctly functioning organisation, for example, a manager has the authority to assign tasks to a direct report and the direct report has the authority to require a task performance review by the manager." (Catherine Burke et al, "Systems Leadership" 2nd Ed., 2018)

"power to direct and exact performance from others. It includes the right to prescribe the means and methods by which work will be done. However, the authority to direct is only as good as one individual’s willingness to accept direction from another. Moreover, with authority comes responsibility and accountability." (All Business, "Dictionary of Accounting Terms")

"(1) power over others by sanctioned personnel within an organization. Managers have the authority to hire and fire personnel in an organization. With authority comes responsibility for one’s actions. (2) a government corporation or agency that administers a public enterprise." (All Business, "Dictionary of Business Terms")