Definition Responsibility and Accountability Differences (FDA)

v9991

Trusted Information Resource
#1
Usually when we define the various activities in an operating procedures,

We assign the 'doing/performing of activities' to people under title of 'responsibilities' and assign the activities of 'ensuring the activities/compliance' under title of 'accountable'.
(These need not be titles/section, they are defined with different terms viz.,
* Production associate shall be responsible to operate the machine
* Production supervisor shall be responsible to monitor the conditions/outcome/
* Production manager shall be accountable to ensure compliance/implementation etc., )

Request thoughts/guidance in clarifying the above approach/process. (responsibility vs accountability)
My point is that, the way associate/supervisor have their responsibilities defined, isn't the manager's responsibility is to manage/process? Hence that must also be responsibility!:confused:
 
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Ajit Basrur

Staff member
Admin
#2
I am driving an improvement project in our organization where each of the departmental managers along with their key staff are RESPONSIBLE for the project, while I am ACCOUNTABLE for bringing the imporvement.

Responsibility can be shared but Accountability can not be :)

Hope that clarifies.
 

v9991

Trusted Information Resource
#3
Responsibility can be shared but Accountability can not be :)

Hope that clarifies.
I am able to reason the 'responsibility' part.

But in a typical environment, Head of the department shall be accountable as a process/implementation owner; and Head of Quality shall be accountable as system owner.:confused:

viz., in your case, improvement can be implemented in respective departments, (first hand acted upon by managers);
what will be the role of head of that department :- responsibility./accountability?
 
S

samsung

#4
I am able to reason the 'responsibility' part.

But in a typical environment, Head of the department shall be accountable as a process/implementation owner; and Head of Quality shall be accountable as system owner.:confused:

viz., in your case, improvement can be implemented in respective departments, (first hand acted upon by managers);
what will be the role of head of that department :- responsibility./accountability?
Both. A subordinate is responsible for the duties assigned to him but the manager is responsible not only for the outcome of the job but also for the use/execution of the authority he has assigned to the subordinate for carrying out the specific responsibility. In other words, he's responsible for the consequences as well and that's the accountability, i.e. an account of one's control over the authority one has delegated to one's subordinates.
 

v9991

Trusted Information Resource
#5
Thanks Samsung, But a small query here...just to nail the point here...

While defining the procedure, where should I mention/describe the activity of Head of Department. (can i write ... HOD shall be responsible and accountable for implementation of improvements...?)

Thanks in advance for your guidance.
 
S

samsung

#6
Thanks Samsung, But a small query here...just to nail the point here...

While defining the procedure, where should I mention/describe the activity of Head of Department. (can i write ... HOD shall be responsible and accountable for implementation of improvements...?)

Thanks in advance for your guidance.
Yes, you should. Apart form this, one of the prime responsibility of every Head of the department is to pass down some authority (freedom to act upon and take decisions) at different levels otherwise the responsibilities assigned will have no meaning.

Additionally the incharge must also be held responsible for providing the people with adequate support in terms of knowledge & resources of what people are supposed to and achieve.
 

Ajit Basrur

Staff member
Admin
#7
v9991,

I was just illustrating that one as an example. If you want to mention about some of the daily activities, yes, the Department Managers (or whomever your Organization deem applicable) are accountable. This is usually spelt out in Job Descriptions.

On similar note, if a sub activity within a big activity is assigned to a deputy, he is both responsible and accountable for its completion. Some both terms are highly interchangeable.
 
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