Definition

The operating model in which responsibility is matched with authority, so that accountability can actually be acted on. Counter-model to [The Scapegoat Model], in which demand is applied without authority.

Explanation

[The Operating Stack] is what an operation looks like when [Authority To Execute] is actually built into every role instead of assumed. Responsibility and authority sit at the same level for every position — the lead who’s accountable for cast performance actually has the authority to adjust the schedule; the kitchen manager accountable for food cost actually has the authority to approve a vendor change.

The alternative isn’t neutral — it’s [The Scapegoat Model], where responsibility gets pushed down the stack and authority stays locked at the top. That model produces the appearance of accountability without the substance of it: someone to blame when the number is wrong, without anyone actually equipped to have prevented it. Building [The Operating Stack] correctly is what makes the accountability architecture load-bearing instead of decorative.