For what is the Scrum Master responsible?

The Scrum Master is primarily responsible for ensuring that the Scrum framework is understood and applied correctly by the Scrum Team and the organization. This role involves guiding everyone in the Scrum process and helping remove any impediments that may hinder the team's progress. By ensuring that the Scrum practices are being upheld, the Scrum Master facilitates effective collaboration and helps the team to maximize their potential within the Scrum framework.

In this context, managing the Product Backlog effectively is typically the responsibility of the Product Owner, who focuses on maximizing the value of the product by managing what is included in the backlog. While initiating Sprint Planning sessions is part of the Scrum process, it is the collective responsibility of the entire Scrum Team, and specifically the Product Owner's role to prepare the backlog for these sessions.

Directing the Development Team's work goes against the Scrum principles where self-management is encouraged. The Scrum Team ought to organize themselves on how to achieve the goals of the Sprint without direct oversight from the Scrum Master. Thus, the Scrum Master plays a crucial role in supporting and facilitating rather than controlling the work being done by the Development Team.