Accounting-Finance

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Showing posts with label HRM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HRM. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Advantages Of Decentralization

HRM , Management
Decentralization has the following advantages:

1. Decentralization Facilitates Managers' Development

In decentralization, appropriate responsibility and authority is delegated to subordinate level managers. It gives them an opportunity to hone their skills and efficiency so as to get promotions. Therefore, decentralization creates the reserve of talency.

2. Relief To Top Managers

In decentralization, most of the routine managerial responsibilities are delegated to middle and lower level managers. It minimizes the excessive workload of the top managers. It gives sufficient time to the top managers to concentrate on non-programmed decisions like planning, policy making, strategy formulation etc.

3. Effective Control

In decentralization, it is convenient to set standards of performance. This helps to compare actual performance with standard performance more quickly. This helps in taking prompt decisions to correct deviations. This leads to maintaining effective control.

4. Possibility Of Better Decision

Decentralization delegates the decision making authority to the managers nearest to the level of operation. The managers working nearest to the operation are in a better position to understand the complexity of problems. This helps in taking a better decision to solve the problems.

                         Also read: Disadvantages Of Decentralization

5. Decentralization Facilitates Diversification

The addition of new product lines or expansion of existing lines of business develops complexity in an organization. This also develops a challenge to the top management. The top managers can meet such challenges by delegating authority to their subordinates. Top managers can only play the role of coordinators.

6. High Morale And Motivation

Decentralization is highly motivational as it gives the subordinates the freedom to act and take decisions. This develops among the subordinates a feeling of status and recognition and ultimately a feeling of dedication and commitment. This helps in maintaining high motivation and morale of subordinates.
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Concept And Meaning Of Decentralization

HRM , Management

Decentralization is the systematic delegation of managerial authority to middle and lower level management according to their weightage of responsibility. In practical, it is not possible to delegate absolute authority to the lower level management. Top level management can delegate only substantial power to the lower level management. Therefore, every organization has to decide how much authority should be centralized and how much should be decentralized. Decentralization depends on the size and nature of the organization and responsibility vested on the lower level. The top level management has to delegate such degree of authority to the lower level so that quick decisions and their implementation are possible.

Therefore, decentralization may be known as the philosophy of scientific and systematic delegation of managerial authority to the middle and lower level managers in accordance with their responsibility. This philosophy states that the top level management should keep limited authority and delegate maximum authority to operating levels. Top management has to play the role of supervisor.
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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Decision Making Conditions

Business , HRM
There are different conditions in which decisions are made. Managers sometimes have an almost perfect understanding of conditions surrounding a decision, but in other situations they may have little information about those conditions. So, the decision maker must know the conditions under which decisions are to be made. Generally, the decision maker makes decision under the condition of certainty, risk and uncertainty.

1. Certainty

Certainty is a condition under which the manager is well informed about possible alternatives and their outcomes. There is only one outcome for each choice. When the outcomes are known and their consequences are certain, the problem of decision is to compute the optimum outcome. Similarly, if there are more than one alternative they are evaluated by conducting cost studies of each alternative and then choosing the one which optimizes the utility of the resources. The condition of certainty exists in case of routine decisions such as allocation of resources for production, payment of wages and salary etc. There is a little ambiguity and relatively low chance of making and impractical decision.

2. Risk

A more decision making condition is a state of risk. In such a condition, managers have knowledge about alternative course of actions but outcomes are associated with probability estimates. It is more difficult to predict future conditions without full information, so the outcome of an alternative cannot be accurately determined. Therefore, managers can guess the probable outcome on the basis of their experience, research and other available information. They can choose an alternative with highest expected outcome. However, such decisions are largely subjective as no decision criteria are fully reliable. Decision making under conditions of risk is accompanied by moderate ambiguity and chances of an impractical decision.

3. Uncertainty

A state of uncertainty occurs when managers are unaware of the problem they face. They do not know all the alternatives, the risk associated with them or the likely consequences of each alternative. This uncertainty arises from the complexity and dynamism of contemporary organization and their environments. Managers have limited information to calculate the degree of risk, so statistical analysis is not possible. The condition of uncertainty arises when the organization introduces a new or innovative product or service, adopts new technology, selects new advertising program etc. To make effective decision in uncertain conditions, managers must acquire as much relevant information as possible and approach the situation from a logical and rational perspective. Intuition , judgment and experience always play major roles in the decision making process. However, decision under uncertainty is the most ambiguous for managers and there is more possibility of error.
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Barriers To Delegation Of Authority

HRM , Management
The following are the common barriers in delegation of authority:

1. Reluctant To Delegate

Some managers are reluctant to delegate authority to subordinates. They believe that they can take a better decision than their subordinates. This belief is often found among those managers who have been recently promoted and those having superiority complex. They have no proper plan to delegate authority. In such a situation, subordinates will have less work and lose the commitment to implement the manager;s decisions.

2. Fear Of Losing Importance

Managers who feel comfortable with authority,fear to delegate authority. They feel that it will diminish their importance. Such managers delegate only that part of authority to subordinates which relates to their job responsibility. They retain their authority as a positional superior of an organization.

3. Loss Of Control

Some managers opine that they will lose control by delegating authority to their subordinates.They feel that if they delegate authority to their subordinates, they would not be sure to achieve assigned responsibilities from subordinates. Such fear is reasonable in case managers are incapable of getting the jobs done from others.

4. Mutual Distrust

Managers are often reluctant to delegate authority to subordinates if there is an environment of distrust in the organization.A manager must have confidence in his own ability to help, guide and control his subordinates before delegating authority. If a manager does not have the ability to make a sound decision he does not believe in his subordinates. He does not want to take risk to get jobs done from others.

5. Fear Of Subordinates 

Managers are reluctant to delegate authority if they fear that it will expose their shortcomings. They feel that their subordinates will perform better and may create problems in their own career. They have no self-confidence and do not want to face the competitive environment.

6. Incompetent Subordinates

Some subordinates are often unwilling to accept delegated authority because of lack of self-confidence. They fear of making mistakes in their performance. It is the responsibility of the superior to develop their self confidence by guiding them and also creating a supportive environment.

7. Lack Of Motivation

Lack of motivational environment discourages subordinates to take responsibility and accept authority. Such environment is found in organizations where there is lack of reward and judgement system.
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Concept And Meaning Of Delegation Of Authority

Business , HRM

The process of assignment of specific work to individuals within the organization and giving them the right to perform those works is delegation. Delegation of authority is one of the most significant concepts in management practice, which affects managerial functions. Management is the art of getting things done through others and delegation means to get the results through the subordinates. The expansion of business volume and diversification of line of business makes it impracticable to handle all the business by a single manager. Therefore, the concept of delegation of some managerial authority to subordinates comes into practice in present day business organizations.Here, the manager delegates some of his authority to his subordinates. This helps in developing a feeling of dedication to the work among the subordinates. The top level management plays only the role of a supervisor and visits them to provide guidance, suggestions and instructions.It minimizes the work load of the top manager and also develops the overall working efficiency of the organization.


Therefore, delegation of authority is assigning work to others and giving them the required authority to perform the assigned task effectively. The concept of delegation has been developed due to the increase in the size of business and its complexity. A manager needs to delegate some of his authority to subordinates along with a specified responsibility. It is necessary to complete the work efficiently and effectively.
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