Decision rights answer a deceptively simple question for every important decision: who gets to decide. By naming the owner of each decision type — and who must be consulted or merely informed — an organization removes the ambiguity that quietly slows work.
They are distinct from structure. Two organizations can share the same org chart yet perform very differently depending on whether authority is pushed to the front line or held at the top. Decision rights make that pattern deliberate.
Well-defined rights also protect pace. When people know they hold a decision, they act; when they know they do not, they escalate cleanly instead of stalling or second-guessing.