The distinction between agents and operatives. Intelligence agency employees who work in the field do not call themselves agents; an agent is someone hired or recruited by an intelligence agency to do its bidding. The person to whom the agent reports—the actual agency employee—is known as an operative.

As nouns the difference between operative and agent is that operative is an employee or other worker with some particular function or skill while agent is one who exerts power, or has the power to act; an actor. As an adjective operative is effectual or important.