fullauthority

Full authority is a term used to describe the extent to which a person or entity is empowered to make decisions and execute actions within a defined domain without requiring external approval. This authority is bounded by legal, contractual, or organizational constraints and by the explicit scope granted to the actor. The concept is commonly discussed in management, governance, and legal settings.

In corporate governance and project management, a senior manager, executive, or project sponsor may be granted full authority to approve expenditures, set strategy, or direct resources within approved budgets and policies. In legally binding arrangements, a power of attorney or agency relationship may confer full authority to act on another's behalf for specified matters or across broad domains; the term often contrasts with limited or defined authority.

Benefits include faster decision-making, clearer accountability, and cohesive direction. However, centralizing authority can create risks such as abuse of power, reduced checks and balances, and vulnerability to single points of failure. Effective use typically pairs full authority with clear limits, oversight mechanisms, audit trails, and stakeholder alignment.

Implementation considerations include documenting the scope, time-bound constraints, revocation terms, and alignment with applicable laws and corporate governance standards. In decentralized organizations, the concept may refer to the maximum level of autonomy granted to divisions or units.

See also: centralization, delegation, authority, autonomy, power of attorney.