Responsibility (glossary entry)

Responsibility can originate in two ways:

Universal responsibilities are strictly defined, and are applied to all according to an attribute, position, or state of being, regardless of the individual's consent or agreement.

Assumed responsibilities exist when a commitment is made by an individual, and the others in the community assume an expectation that agrees with it.

Disputes about responsibility usually involve an assumed responsibility. Here, there is a significant amount of case-specific decision, communication, and agreement that must take place in order for the commitments made by one party to agree with the expectations assumed by the other.

Those who are assigned resposiblity by others are often unable to effect many or most of the intended results, because they are not given adequate power, authority, or resources:

Responsibility Without Authority