AUTHORITY

&
LINE AND STAFF AUTHORITY

LLORIN, GENEVIEVE A.
4D
Authority
refers to accepted powerthat is, power that people agree to
follow. People listen to authority figures because they feel that
these individuals are worthy of respect. Generally speaking, people
perceive the objectives and demands of an authority figure as
reasonable and beneficial, or true.
 A citizens interaction with a police officer is a good example of
how people react to authority in everyday life. For instance, a
person who sees the flashing red and blue lights of a police car
in his rearview mirror usually pulls to the side of the road
without hesitation. Such a driver most likely assumes that the
police officer behind him serves as a legitimate source of
authority and has the right to pull him over. As part of her
official duties, the police officer then has the power to issue a
speeding ticket if the driver was driving too fast. If the same
officer, however, were to command the driver to follow her
home and mow her lawn, the driver would likely protest that
the officer does not have the authority to make such a request.
Types of
Authority
 Webers Three Types of Authority

Traditional Charismatic Legal-Rational

Authority resides in
Legitimized by long- Based on a leaders
Source of Power the office, not the
standing custom personal qualities
person

Leadership Style Historic personality Dynamic personality Bureaucratic officials

U.S. presidency and

Napoleon, Jesus
Patriarchy (traditional Congress
Example Christ, Mother Teresa,
positions of authority) Modern British
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Parliament
 TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY

CHARISMATIC AUTHORITY

RATIONAL-LEGAL AUTHORITY
Traditional Authority
According to Weber, the power of traditional authority is
accepted because that has traditionally been the case; its
legitimacy exists because it has been accepted for a long time.
Britains Queen Elizabeth, for instance, occupies a position that
she inherited based on the traditional rules of succession for
the monarchy.
Traditional authority can be intertwined with race, class, and
gender. In most societies, for instance, men are more likely to
be privileged than women and thus are more likely to hold
roles of authority.
Charismatic Authority
Followers accept the power of charismatic authority because they are
drawn to the leaders personal qualities. The appeal of a charismatic
leader can be extraordinary, and can inspire followers to make unusual
sacrifices or to persevere in the midst of great hardship and
persecution.
Charismatic leaders usually emerge in times of crisis and offer
innovative or radical solutions. They may even offer a vision of a new
world order. Hitlers rise to power in the postwar economic depression
of Germany is an example.
Charismatic leaders tend to hold power for short durations, and
according to Weber, they are just as likely to be tyrannical as they are
heroic. Diverse male leaders such as Hitler, Napoleon, Jesus Christ,
Csar Chvez, Malcolm X, and Winston Churchill are all considered
charismatic leaders.
Rational-Legal Authority
According to Weber, power made legitimate by laws, written rules, and
regulations is termed rational-legal authority. In this type of authority,
power is vested in a particular rationale, system, or ideology and not
necessarily in the person who implements the specifics of that doctrine.
Of course, ideals are seldom replicated in the real world. Few
governments or leaders can be neatly categorized. Some leaders, like
Mohandas Gandhi for instance, can be considered charismatic and legal-
rational authority figures. Similarly, a leader or government can start out
exemplifying one type of authority and gradually evolve or change into
another type.
 LINE AUTHORITY

STAFF AUTHORITY

FUNCTIONAL AUTHORITY
LINE AUTHORITY
Managers with line authority are those people in the organization
who are directly responsible for achieving organizational goals.

Line authority is represented by the standard chain of command

starting with the board of directors and extending down activities of
the organization that are carried out.

Line authority is based primarily on legitimate power.

STAFF AUTHORITY
Staff Authority belongs to those individuals or groups in an organization who
provide services and advice to line managers. The concept of staff includes all
elements of the organization that are not classified as line.

Advisory Staffs have been used by decision makers form emperors and kings to
dictators and parliaments over the course of recorded history.

Staff provides managers with varied types of expert help and advice. Staff authority
is based primarily on expert power. Staff over line managers planning advice
through research, analysis and options development. Staff can also assist in policy
implementation, monitoring and control in legal and financial matters; and in the
design and operation of data processing systems.
FUNCTIONAL AUTHORITY
Functional Authority is common in organizations. It is necessary in
carrying out many organizational activities, both to provide or a degree
of uniformly and to allow unhindered application of expertise. Thus, it
is based on both legitimate and expert power.

The skills required to manage functional authority relationships and the

problem arising form those relationships are similar required to
manage dual-boss relationships in matrix organizations.
FUNCTIONAL AUTHORITY
The role of staff members to provide advice and service to line members
implies that staff lacks independent formal authority. In reality, staff
departments especially those responsible for audit functions, may have
formal authority over line members within the limits of their function. The
right to control of other departments as they relate to specific staff
responsibilities is known as FUNCTIONAL AUTHORITY.

For example: The Finance Manager of Division A reports through the chain of
command to the General Manager of Division A, but is also responsible to the
Vice President of Finance at the Corporate Level. This dotted line
relationship indicates the functional authority of specialized staff in relation
to line managers.
 REFERENCES:
https://www.citeman.com/4733-line-and-staff-authority.html

https://www.citeman.com/PowerandAuthority_Introduction_Soci
ology.html