What is the differences between authority and power in business?

Question

What is the differences between authority and power in business?

Answer 1

Tricky.  Authority - A HR manager has the Authority to fire you.  Power - The manager has the power to have you fired.  In most businesses the HRM does the firing but at the power of the manager.

Answer 2

Authority is vested upon an individual to make decisions on behalf of the corporation.  A Buyer has the authority to purchase merchandise for the corporation.

Power, on the other hand, most times comes from authority.  The Buyer has the power of purchase.  

A beatiful and well endowed saleswoman may not have the "authoriy"   to force some male buyer to purchase from her, but a simple unbottoning of her shirt may give her the POWER over that defenseless male buyer.