FO OF ACR LGT ACFT INADVERTENTLY WANDERED OFF ASSIGNED COURSE CAUSING ATC TO INTERVENE AND BRING THE FLT BACK ON COURSE.

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COPLT'S BRASH ATTITUDE HAD BEEN A SORE SPOT WITH ME ALL MONTH AND REPEATED DISCUSSION WITH HIM HAD FAILED TO ACHIEVE ANY RESULTS. ALTHOUGH I NOTICED EARLY ON THAT HIS PLTING SKILLS DIDN'T JUSTIFY HIS CONFIDENCE LEVEL AND I HAD RECOGNIZED THE NEED TO CONTINUALLY MONITOR HIS PERFORMANCE; I HAD TO TAKE MY EYES OFF OF HIM FOR ABOUT 2 MINS (2 MINS!!). IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME HE DEVIATED OFF OUR RTING BY ABOUT 8 MI PROMPTING AN INQUIRY FROM ZAU. THE FO'S ATTITUDE WAS 'OK; I MADE A MISTAKE -- SO WHAT?' I BELIEVE (DUE TO INTERACTING WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL ON PREVIOUS TRIPS) THAT HE FELT HIS ROLE IN THE COCKPIT WAS ONE OF DECISION MAKER. ALTHOUGH I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT WE WERE A TEAM; AND EACH MEMBER OF THE TEAM WAS ESSENTIAL TO OUR SAFETY; IT IS IN THE CAPT'S JOB DESCRIPTION AS BEING THE FINAL AUTHORITY AS TO THE OP OF THE FLT. WITH THE ADVENT OF COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT I'VE NOTICED A TENDENCY WITH SOME FO'S TO IGNORE THE FACT THAT THERE IS A HIERARCHY WITHIN THE COCKPIT; TO THE POINT OF CONSIDERING THEMSELVES AUTONOMOUS (AS IN THIS EXTREME CASE). WHILE THE INTENT OF COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT IS OK; I MUST SAY THAT THE CREW'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAPT IS ONE OF ORDINATE-SUBORDINATE; AND COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT TENDS TO OVERLOOK OR MINIMIZE THIS CONCEPT. IF MY ASSESSMENT IS CORRECT; COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE REALITIES OF LINE OPS.