Authority is the power or right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, to give orders, and enforce obedience. In management,it is usually distinguish between line authority and staff authority.
Authority is the right to commit resources (that is, to make decisions that commit the organization’s resources) or the legal right to give orders (to tell someone to do or not to do something).
Authority is the right to make decisions, to direct the work of others, and to give orders.
Authority is a manager tool: it can be described as the right to commit resources (that is, to make decisions that commit the organization's resources) or the legal right to give orders (to tell someone to do or not to do something). Authority is the "glue" that holds the organization together: it provides the means of command.
In an organization different types of authority are created by the relationships between individuals and between departments. There are three types of authority: (1) line authority, (2) staff authority, and (3) functional authority.