Authority refers to the right of a person to give instructions, make decisions and allocate resources. In an organization, a manager has the formal authority from his or her position that is accepted by subordinates. The authority flows down the hierarchy such that top managers have more authority than those at the bottom. Managers work within their authority in order to be accepted by their subordinates. However, if they give orders beyond their area of authority then they may face resistance. Also if managers are given too little authority then their jobs may be more difficult.