دانلود رایگان ترجمه مقاله حذف موانع معانی بیان با روش یک الگوی قدیمی (سال 2010)

محول نمودن، اختیار قانونی و مسئولیت: حذف موانع معانی بیان با روش یک الگوی قدیمی

Delegation, Authority and Responsibility: Removing the Rhetorical Obstructions in the Way of an Old Paradigm

This study examined 14 articles in trade publications and professional journals, published between 1985 and 2010, that specifically addressed the management practice of “delegating authority.” The goal was to determine if there are meaningful changes in the advice authors gave their readers over the years or, if similarities in their prescriptions persisted. Findings show that authors provided a plethora of advice to their audiences on delegating authority. Furthermore, findings show that there are five key similarities in the semantics on delegating authority which authors used. In advising their readers on the topic of delegating authority, the authors prescribed that: 1) a process occurs in steps or stages; 2) results will contribute to greater organizational benefits; 3) selection of the ideal person who can accomplish a task is essential; 4) transferable authority, task specificity and trust are crucial; and 5) good communication between delegator and “delegatee” is essential. A four stage reconfiguration of the delegation process is presented.

1 Introduction

Defining Delegation

While it is clear that authority can be defined as one person having the ability to make decisions that are binding on others, the actual delegation process in present-day management environments is not so clear cut. For this reason, it is always helpful to look a word up in the dictionary, as a first step, to gain a more banal understanding of how lexicographers denote a word. Webster’s Online Dictionary defines delegation as: “the act of empowering to act for another or, a group of persons chosen to represent others.” Sometimes the simplest definition is best, sometimes not. As an operating definition for this study, the ordinary meaning of delegation does not offer a thorough enough elucidation of what the word delegation means for modern managers.

Dunham and Pierce (1989) defined delegation as “the process managers use to transfer formal authority from one position to another within an organization and, thus, to put authority system they have designed into place” (p. 377). From their perspective, delegation becomes a prescriptive framework for managers, rather than a commonplace denotation. In modern management terms, delegation, as defined by the authors in the 14 articles compared in this study, has not appeared to have evolved much since 1989. Thus, the paper’s purpose was to explore further “delegating authority” within the context of the professional management literature published over the past 25 years, especially articles targeting a practitioners’ audience.

Delegation Issues Identified in Select Trade Publications

Various issues related to the delegation process add to the complexity of the definition. Crucial questions between the delegator and delegatee need to be answered to assure optimum outcomes. Where delegation implies delegating of accountability as well as tasks, trust between the two parties is a crucial element which must be emphasized. Clarification of questions regarding the exact nature of the task, limits of authority and accountability, deadlines, relationship to larger projects, resources, and timing of updates is important to the successful delegation process (Helpdesk, 2006; Urbaniak, 2005).

Battles (2005, p.39) argues that while performance of the tasks is shifted to someone else … “the responsibility for getting the work done and done correctly has not.” In order to ensure that the delegation process works, the manager must 1) select the correct person with the necessary maturity and technical skills; 2) define the task so that the delegate has a clear understanding; 3) establish a schedule of progress points, measurements, and deadlines; 4) transfer appropriate authority to achieve the task; and 5) focus on the accomplishments rather than the method with which the task is accomplished (Battles, 2005).

The initial decision to delegate and to who is often difficult because of manager perceptions and beliefs. Some senior managers perceive women as poor at delegating because of women’s “lack of single mindedness” because of their split focus on family and career (Newman, 2008, p.8). Other managers have doubts about their subordinates’ abilities as compared to the manager’s abilities. Doing the task oneself because of a reluctance to be perceived as “unwilling to get their hands dirty” is another factor that often prevents managers from delegating tasks (Master, 2001, p.94).