Page 33 - DLIS003_LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

Library Administration and Management

Notes Competence Authority: According to this theory, Authorities also dirges from the personal
skills, knowledge experience, extra-ordinary academic excellence such factors shown the
competency of the managers. When authority emerges because of one’s competence in certain
field, it is called competence authority.

Notes Authority means the right to command, to take decision and to guide the action of
others.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. Authority refers to power which is regarded as ……………… in the minds of followers.
2. When the subordinates accept the authority of the ……………., it is called acceptance
authority.
3. When authority emerges because of one’s competence in certain field, it is called
………………………………...

Caselet Authority

he right to acquire action of others is known as authority. There are various types
of authority like formal authority, acceptance authority, authority by situation,
Tpositional authority and technical authority. The authority, which originates from
the placement of a person in the organisation, is called formal authority. Since authority
originates from the position of persons in the organisation structure, it is also termed as
positional authority. It is the official power, which comes from the positions in the office
organisation. In formal authority, authority stems from the top and is transmitted
downwards through the line by the help of delegation of authority. The authority is
highest in the hands of the chairman and lowest in the hands of first line supervisors.
Source: http://www.preservearticles.com/201101062672/formal-authority.html

2.2 Difference between Authority and Power

The terms Authority and Power have different meanings in management of any organization
such as library.
Authority is the right given to a superior to achieve the objectives of the library. It is a right to
get the things done through others. It is a right to take decisions. It is a right to give orders to the
subordinates and to get obedience from them. A manager cannot do his work without authority.

A manager gets his authority from his position or post. He gets his authority from the higher
authorities. The lower and middle-level managers get their authority from the top-level
managers. The top-level managers get their authority from the shareholders. Authority always
flows downwards. It is delegated from the top to the bottom.
Power is a broader concept than authority. Power is the ability of a person or a group to
influence the beliefs and actions of other people. It is the ability to influence events. Power can

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