Delegation is the passing of authority to carry out a task from a manager to a subordinate, while the manager remains accountable for the result.

Why can a task be delegated but overall accountability not be?

The manager chose to delegate and chose to whom, so if the task is done badly the manager must still answer for the outcome to their own superior.

Give two benefits of delegation to the manager.

It frees time for more important work, and it reveals which subordinates are ready to take on greater responsibility.

Give two benefits of delegation to the employee.

The work becomes more varied and interesting, and the trust shown builds confidence and prepares the employee for promotion.

Give two reasons managers fail to delegate.

They fear the job will be done badly and reflect on them, and they may feel their own position is threatened by a capable subordinate.

What must accompany delegation if it is to work?

The employee needs the authority and resources to do the task, clear terms of reference, adequate training, and freedom to do it their own way within agreed limits.

WJEC A-Level Business 601-5238-2

Enterprise and Starting a Business

Topic overview Enterprise and the entrepreneur Stakeholders in a business Business plans and sources of support Legal structures of business The public and private sectors Business location Sources of finance for a new business Business revenue, costs and profit

Markets and Market Research

Topic overview Types of market Market size, market share and market trends Market segmentation The degree of competition in a market Perfect competition and monopolistic competition Oligopoly and monopoly Consumer protection Demand and the demand curve Supply and the supply curve Market equilibrium and changes in price and quantity Price and income elasticity of demand Inferior, normal and luxury goods The value of market research Primary market research Secondary market research Qualitative and quantitative data Sampling and avoiding bias

Marketing

Topic overview Market orientation, product orientation and asset-led marketing The marketing mix Product and the product portfolio Branding, USP and differentiation The product life cycle Extension strategies The product life cycle and cash flow The Boston matrix Pricing strategies Choosing the right pricing strategy Promotion: above the line and below the line Place and distribution channels The marketing mix in different contexts and global marketing New technology in marketing

People in Business

Topic overview The flexible workforce New technology and changing working practices Workforce planning The recruitment process, job analysis and job descriptions Internal and external recruitment Methods of selection Training Appraisal Labour productivity, absenteeism and labour turnover Organisational design and structures Delegation, empowerment and delayering Motivation theories Financial and non-financial methods of motivation Management and management by objectives Leadership styles and theories Employment rights, duties and equal opportunities Trade unions, conflict and dispute resolution

Operations Management

Topic overview Added value Job, batch and flow production Choosing the right method of production Productivity Capacity utilisation New technology in operations Lean production and kaizen Just-in-time and cell production Quality control and quality assurance Total quality management Stock control and stock control diagrams Purchasing and working with suppliers Innovation, research and development Internal economies of scale External economies of scale Diseconomies of scale and the survival of small firms

Business Finance and Accounts

Topic overview Internal sources of finance Loans, overdrafts and trade credit Share capital and venture capital Leasing and debt factoring Choosing an appropriate source of finance Finance for entrepreneurs and SMEs in Wales Revenue, costs and profit Types of cost Contribution and break-even Break-even charts and the margin of safety Budgets and budgeting Cash flow forecasting Improving cash flow The income statement Gross and net profit margins

Business Analysis and Decision-Making

Strategy and Implementation

Topic overview Aims and objectives SMART objectives Mission and vision statements Corporate, divisional and functional strategy Strategy, tactics and corporate plans SWOT analysis Porter's Five Forces The Ansoff matrix Organic growth Mergers and takeovers Horizontal and vertical integration Franchising as a method of growth Location and relocation decisions Rationalisation and outsourcing production

Managing Change and Risk

Topic overview Internal and external causes of change Planned and unplanned change The effects of change on a business Managing change effectively Storey's four approaches to managing change Resistance to change Lewin's three step process Organisational culture and leadership in change Evaluating the management of change The risks a business faces Risk assessment and preventative action Insurable and uninsurable risks Contingency planning and crisis management

The External Environment

Topic overview Government and the framework for business The economic environment Social and demographic change Technology and business Business ethics and corporate social responsibility The legal environment Business and the environment

Global Business

Topic overview International trade and protectionism Globalisation and its causes Global growth strategies and multinationals The European Union and the euro

People in Business

Delegation, empowerment and delayering

3 things to know
AS Unit 2

Overview

Trade-off between empowerment and control of the workforce and why delayering can lose a business valuable knowledge.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Give two benefits of empowerment to a business.

Key term

In what situations is tight control preferable to empowerment?

Key term

What is delegation?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is delegation?
Model answer
Delegation is the passing of authority to carry out a task from a manager to a subordinate, while the manager remains accountable for the result.
2
Why can a task be delegated but overall accountability not be?
Model answer
The manager chose to delegate and chose to whom, so if the task is done badly the manager must still answer for the outcome to their own superior.
3
Give two benefits of delegation to the manager.
Model answer
It frees time for more important work, and it reveals which subordinates are ready to take on greater responsibility.
4
Give two benefits of delegation to the employee.
Model answer
The work becomes more varied and interesting, and the trust shown builds confidence and prepares the employee for promotion.
5
Give two reasons managers fail to delegate.
Model answer
They fear the job will be done badly and reflect on them, and they may feel their own position is threatened by a capable subordinate.
6
What must accompany delegation if it is to work?
Model answer
The employee needs the authority and resources to do the task, clear terms of reference, adequate training, and freedom to do it their own way within agreed limits.

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Enterprise and Starting a Business

Markets and Market Research

Marketing

People in Business

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