This study investigates the relative influence of personality and situational variables on managerial behaviour used in the delegation process. The delegation process is divided into three sequential dimensions: delegation of discretion, supervision of the subordinate and subordinate accountability to the manager. Data about delegation behaviour was collected from 562 managers comprising 137 work groups drawn from fourAustralian organizations. Contrary to the predominant universalistic approach, variables were found to have relationships with different parts of the delegation process. Based on these findings, the delegation process was reconceptualized and a flexible' model of managerial delegation behaviour proposed. The key features of this model are that managers have potential to adjust their behaviour within each dimension and across dimensions to vary how they manage the delegation process. The development of this model provides a fundamental reconceptualization of delegation as a complex yet definable process.
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