Difference between Authority and Power
Authority and power are very similar terms, however they have important differences. Social influence can be exercised in different ways, which gives rise to different types, these being authority and power, this is explained below.
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Authority
Authority is the probability that certain orders from a legitimate source will be obeyed voluntarily because that source is considered legitimate. The authority can come from a person or from an impersonal entity, an example of the first is a worker and the second is the legal system of a country.
According to Max Weber, author of the bureaucratic model, it is the group’s values and beliefs that give authority legitimacy.
Related: Bureaucracy
Power
It is the ability to enforce the will of the person or persons that order despite the resistance.
Difference between authority and power
The difference between authority and power is that in authority the will is fulfilled without resistance, voluntarily, on the other hand, power is enforced whether or not by forcing others. A person with authority has power, but a person with power may or may not have authority.
Example of authority
The manager of the company to whom the subordinates recognize the right to command.
In an organization, authority takes place when subordinates voluntarily comply with the orders of their superior.
Example of power
A dictator, who can enforce his will, whether others agree or not.
See also