Page 134 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR

Unit 6: Delegation, Authority and Power

3. Authority gives the right to order and the power to exact obedience. Notes
4. Authority represents the relationship between the senior and the sub-ordinate.

6.2.2 Types of Authority

Various analysts have given various theories to categorise authority. A few of the classifications
are as under:
1. Traditional authority: Traditional authority is legitimated by the sanctity of tradition.
The ability and right to rule is passed down, often through heredity. It does not change
overtime, does not facilitate social change, tends to be irrational and inconsistent, and
perpetuates the status quo. In fact, Weber states: "The creation of new law opposite traditional
norms is deemed impossible in principle." Traditional authority is typically embodied in
feudalism or patrimonialism. In a purely patriarchal structure, "the servants are completely
and personally dependent upon the lord", while in an estate system (i.e. feudalism), "the
servants are not personal servants of the lord but independent men". But, in both cases the
system of authority does not change or evolve.
2. Charismatic authority: Charismatic authority is found in a leader whose mission and
vision inspire others. It is based upon the perceived extraordinary characteristics of an
individual. Weber saw a charismatic leader as the head of a new social movement, and one
instilled with divine or supernatural powers, such as a religious prophet. Weber seemed
to favor charismatic authority, and spent a good deal of time discussing it. In a study of
charisma and religion, Riesebrodt (1999) argues that Weber also thought charisma played
a strong – if not integral – role in traditional authority systems. Thus, Weber's favor for
charismatic authority was particularly strong, especially in focusing on what happened to
it with the death or decline of a charismatic leader. Charismatic authority is "routinized"
in a number of ways according to Weber: orders are traditionalized, the staff or followers
change into legal or "estate-like" (traditional) staff, or the meaning of charisma itself may
undergo change.

3. Legal-rational authority: Legal-rational authority is empowered by a formalistic belief
in the content of the law (legal) or natural law (rationality). Obedience is not given to a
specific individual leader – whether traditional or charismatic – but a set of uniform
principles. Weber thought the best example of legal-rational authority was a bureaucracy
(political or economic). This form of authority is frequently found in the modern state,
city governments, private and public corporations, and various voluntary associations. In
fact, Weber stated that the development of the modern state is identical indeed with that
of modern officialdom and bureaucratic organisations just as the development of modern
capitalism is identical with the increasing bureaucratization of economic enterprise.
4. Technical Authority: Technical Authority is entrusted upon a person to establish, monitor
and approve technical products and policy. Technical authority increases the responsibility
and sets accountability. It results in timely and responsive decisions. Such an authority is
entrusted and empowered to make technically sound engineering decisions. The
authorized person must do so with integrity and discipline because it is he who would be
held accountable for the technical decisions made.

5. External Authority: External authority authority comes from sources outside the
organisation. An organisation operates legitimately because it is part of the government,
operating in accordance with the laws passed by the Parliament, which, in turn, is elected
by people, who are the ultimate source of all authority.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 129