delegative

Delegative is an adjective derived from delegation, the act of entrusting authority or responsibility to another person. It describes practices, styles, or systems where tasks, authority, or decision-making power are assigned to others while the original holder retains ultimate accountability. In organizational use, delegative approaches emphasize distributing work to subordinates, empowering teams, and reducing micromanagement. The term can be used in neutral descriptive contexts as well as in evaluative discussions of authority concentration.

In political science, the term is closely associated with the concept of delegative democracy, a term popularized by Guillermo O'Donnell in the 1990s. Delegative democracies hold elections and show formal legal institutions, but executive power is exercised through personal authority rather than formal checks and balances. The president or leader often acts with limited constraint by the legislature, judiciary, or civil society; accountability is mainly through periodic elections rather than robust rule-of-law mechanisms. This form can emerge during transitions from authoritarian rule when institutions remain weak or underdeveloped.

Within management theory, delegative leadership describes leaders who entrust significant decision-making authority to subordinates. When effective, delegation can increase flexibility, initiative, and job satisfaction; when poorly implemented, it can lead to ambiguity, misaligned priorities, or loss of strategic coherence. The term is sometimes contrasted with other leadership styles such as directive or participative leadership, with delegative emphasizing autonomy and trust rather than close supervision.

Etymology: from Latin delegatus, "a person sent to represent," from delegare, to appoint as a delegate; through French délégation to English delegation and delegative.