A-Z Popular Blog Management Search »
Management
 Advertisements
Related Guides
Management
top   »  governance   »  accountability   »  accountability vs responsibility

Accountability vs Responsibility

 , updated on
Accountability is a duty to answer to the success or failure of strategies, decisions, practices and processes. In general, accountability is a function of your position and can't be delegated.
Responsibility is the component of duty that can be delegated. In other words, if you delegate a task you are no longer responsible for the work associated with that task but you are accountable for its outcome.
For any decision, strategy or task both the accountable and responsible person have a duty to answer to success or failure. However, the accountable person has a greater duty. In many situations, the responsible person does the actual work and makes the decisions. The accountable person has a management or governance role to oversee the work.
Overview: Accountability vs Responsibility
Type
Management
Accountability Definition
The duty to answer for the success or failure of a strategy, process or task.
Responsibility Definition
The duty to deliver a strategy, process or task.
Primary Differences
Responsibility can be delegated, accountability is a function of your position.
Responsibility is associated with work and decision making, accountability is associated with management or governance.
Related Concepts
Decision Making

Management

This is the complete list of articles we have written about management.
Action Plan
Approaches
Asset Management
Assumptions
Authority
Benchmarking
Budget Planning
Business Management
Business Models
Business Operations
Capabilities
Capability Analysis
Catfish Management
Change
Change Management Metrics
Change Strategy
Communication
Contingency Planning
Controls
Cost Benefit Analysis
Creative Direction
Culture
Decision Making
Delegation
Employee Relations
Estimates
Ethics
Executive Management
Facilitation
Feasibility Study
Financial Controls
Forecasting
Gap Analysis
Goal Setting
Governance
Heliotropic Effect
Human Resources
Influencing
Internal Customers
IT Management
Knowledge
KPIs
Leadership
Lessons Learned
Management
Management Accounting
Management Analysis
Management Design
Management Functions
Management Goals
Management Improvement
Management Plan
Management Process
Management Tasks
Market Analysis
MBO
Metrics
Metrics
Mission & Vision
Nudge Theory
Objectives
Onboarding
Operating Model
Operations Analysis
Optimization
Org Structure
Organizing Principle
Performance Issue
Performance Management
Planning
Politics
Prioritization
Problems
Process
Projects
Quality
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
Quality Management
Requirements
Risk
Scenario Planning
Service Management
SLA Management
Strategy
Strengths
Styles
Team Culture
Team Management
Team Objectives
Teams
Theory
Transformation
Transparency
Types
Walking Around
Work Quality
Workplace Privacy
If you enjoyed this page, please consider bookmarking Simplicable.
 
Cite »

Governance

The definition of governance with examples.

Due Diligence

An overview of due diligence.

Accountability

The definition of accountability with examples.

Power Structures

The common types of power structure.

Social Obligation

The definition of social obligation with examples.

Mismanagement

The definition of mismanagement with examples.

CEO

The common types of CEO.

Social Responsibility

An overview of social responsibility with examples.

Corporate Social Responsibility

An overview of corporate social responsibility with examples.

Organizational Values

An overview of organizational value with examples.

Management

A guide to management techniques.

Management Levels

An complete overview of management levels.

Delegated Authority

The definition of delegation of authority with examples.

Management Control

The definition of management control with examples.

Continuous Change

The definition of continuous change with examples.

Management Metrics

A list of common management metrics.

Management Improvement

A list of common types of management improvement.

Management Communication

Common types of management communication.

Meeting Minutes

An overview of the format, purpose and conventions surrounding meeting minutes with complete examples.

Trending

The most popular articles on Simplicable in the past day.

New Articles

Recent posts or updates on Simplicable.
Site Map
Computing
Creativity
Culture
Customer Experience
Customer Service
Data
Decision Making
Design
Design Thinking
Economics
Education
Engineering
Governance
Government
History
Humans
Industries
Influencing
Information
Information Technology
Infrastructure
Life
Management
Marketing
More ...
© 2010-2023 Simplicable. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of materials found on this site, in any form, without explicit permission is prohibited.

View credits & copyrights or citation information for this page.

Home About     Privacy Policy     Cookies Terms of Use     Contact Us Search


Cookies help us deliver our services. You have choices regarding these cookies. Please visit our privacy policy, cookie policy and consent tool to learn more.


Copyright 2002-2024 Simplicable. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or translated. Report violations here.