The decision
Should we redistribute purchase-approval authority to branch managers?
Conclusion
Most of the delay in your examples comes from incomplete requests (price or supplier unclear), not from missing authority. This is not confirmed yet, so we do not advise changing authority now.
What we know
- Of the five delayed requests you described, four came back because the price or supplier was unclear.From your answers, not verified
- Authority limits are written: a branch manager approves up to 20,000 riyals.From your answers, not verified
- Branch managers approve small requests quickly when they arrive complete.From your answers, not verified
What we don’t know
- How many requests are actually delayed each month, not only the ones you remember.
- Whether the pattern is the same in every branch.
Why this conclusion
Four of five examples were delayed by missing information. Five examples are not enough to decide, so we suggest one short step that settles it before any change.
The explanations we tested
- Requests arrive incomplete: the strongest so far (4 of 5 examples).
- Authority is unclear: weak, since the limits are written and known, per your answers.
- Managers avoid owning decisions: could not be tested from the answers available.
Your options
The step that settles it: log the next ten delayed requests
For each request: what was missing, who sent it back, and how many days it was delayed. About two weeks.
- Risks
- The decision waits two weeks.
- Wrong if
- If you cannot afford to wait two more weeks.
A standard request form with price and supplier
A request is accepted only when complete.
- Risks
- Extra work for whoever raises the request.
- Wrong if
- If the log shows missing information is not the cause.
Redistribute authority now
Raise the branch managers’ approval limit.
- Risks
- May not fix the delay if incomplete requests are the cause.
- Wrong if
- If most delayed requests are already under 20,000 riyals.
Recommendation
A clear next step
Log the delayed requests for two weeks, then decide. The decision is yours.
Limits of the recommendation
- Based only on your answers and examples.
Remaining risk
- If you change authority now, the delay may stay the same.
Case scope
Purchase requests in the branches. Does not include assessing any person.
Limits of this report
- Everything in this report comes from your answers; we saw no records.