Adopting authority enables users to drive the car to the store and back yet stay off the highway. To ensure no one ends up in the ditch, you must know where the keys are at all times.
Written by Steven C. Pitcher
Adoption of authority is a solution to the problem of having users who need to execute commands that are otherwise forbidden based on their current IBM i authority level.
For example, your helpdesk personnel must have the ability to re-enable user profiles that have been disabled, but you don't want to give them *SECADM special authority and access to the Change User Profile (CHGUSRPRF) command.