Describe the bases of power.
Answer:
Power can be categorized into two types: Formal and informal
A. Formal Power
· It is based on the position of an individual in an organization.
· Formal power is derived from either one’s ability to coerce or reward others or is derived from the formal authority vested in the individual due to his/her strategic position in the organizational hierarchy.
For example, a manager may threaten to withhold a pay raise, or to transfer, demote, or even recommend the firing of a subordinate who does not act as desired.
· The presence of unions and organizational policies on employee treatment can weaken this power base significantly.
Formal power may be categorized into four types which are as follows:
1. Coercive Power:
· The coercive power base is being dependent on fear.
· It is based on the application, or the threat of application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs.
· In an organization one can exercise power over another if they have the power to dismiss, suspend, demote another assuming that the job is valuable to the person on whom power is being unleashed.
2. Reward Power:
· The opposite of coercive power is reward power.
· Reward power is the extent to which a manager can use extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other people.
· Examples of such rewards include money, promotions, compliments, or enriched jobs.
3. Legitimate Power:
· It is also called formal authority.
· It stems from the extent to which a manager can use subordinates’ internalized values or beliefs that the “boss” has a “right of command” to control their behaviour.
· For example, the boss may have the formal authority to approve or deny such employee requests as job transfers, equipment purchases, personal time off, or overtime work.
· Legitimate power represents a special kind of power a manager has because subordinates believe it is legitimate for a person occupying the managerial position to have the right to command.
4. Information Power:
· A type of power derived from access to and control over information.
· When people have needed information, others become dependent on them.
· This information can be used as a threat in some cases.
· For example, managers have access to data that subordinates do not have. Normally the higher the level, the more information would be accessed by managers.
B. Personal Power
Personal power resides in the individual and is independent of that individual’s position. Three bases of personal power are expertise, rational persuasion, and reference.
1. Expert power
· It is the ability to control another person’s behaviour by virtue of possessing knowledge, experience, or judgment that the other person lacks, but needs.
· A subordinate obeys a supervisor possessing expert power because the boss ordinarily knows more about what is to be done or how it is to be done than does the subordinate.
· Expert power is relative, not absolute.
· However the table may turn in case the subordinate has superior knowledge or skills than his/ her boss.
· In this age of technology driven environments, the second proposition holds true in many occasions where the boss is dependent heavily on the juniors for technologically oriented support.
2. Rational persuasion
· It is the ability to control another’s behaviour.
· Through the individual’s efforts by using rational persuasion, the person accepts the command.
· Rational persuasion involves both explaining the desirability of expected outcomes and showing how specific actions will achieve these outcomes.
3. Referent power
· It is the ability to control another’s behaviour because the person wants to identify with the power source.
· In this case, a subordinate obeys the boss because he or she wants to behave, perceive, or believe as the boss does.
· This obedience may occur, for example, because the subordinate likes the boss personally and therefore tries to do things the way the boss wants them done.
· In a sense, the subordinate attempts to avoid doing anything that would interfere with the pleasing boss subordinate relationship
4. Charismatic Power
· It is an extension of referent power stemming from an individual’s personality and interpersonal style.
· Others follow because they can articulate attractive visions, take personal risks, demonstrate follower sensitivity, etc.
Power can be categorized into two types: Formal and informal
A. Formal Power
· It is based on the position of an individual in an organization.
· Formal power is derived from either one’s ability to coerce or reward others or is derived from the formal authority vested in the individual due to his/her strategic position in the organizational hierarchy.
For example, a manager may threaten to withhold a pay raise, or to transfer, demote, or even recommend the firing of a subordinate who does not act as desired.
· The presence of unions and organizational policies on employee treatment can weaken this power base significantly.
Formal power may be categorized into four types which are as follows:
1. Coercive Power:
· The coercive power base is being dependent on fear.
· It is based on the application, or the threat of application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs.
· In an organization one can exercise power over another if they have the power to dismiss, suspend, demote another assuming that the job is valuable to the person on whom power is being unleashed.
2. Reward Power:
· The opposite of coercive power is reward power.
· Reward power is the extent to which a manager can use extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other people.
· Examples of such rewards include money, promotions, compliments, or enriched jobs.
3. Legitimate Power:
· It is also called formal authority.
· It stems from the extent to which a manager can use subordinates’ internalized values or beliefs that the “boss” has a “right of command” to control their behaviour.
· For example, the boss may have the formal authority to approve or deny such employee requests as job transfers, equipment purchases, personal time off, or overtime work.
· Legitimate power represents a special kind of power a manager has because subordinates believe it is legitimate for a person occupying the managerial position to have the right to command.
4. Information Power:
· A type of power derived from access to and control over information.
· When people have needed information, others become dependent on them.
· This information can be used as a threat in some cases.
· For example, managers have access to data that subordinates do not have. Normally the higher the level, the more information would be accessed by managers.
B. Personal Power
Personal power resides in the individual and is independent of that individual’s position. Three bases of personal power are expertise, rational persuasion, and reference.
1. Expert power
· It is the ability to control another person’s behaviour by virtue of possessing knowledge, experience, or judgment that the other person lacks, but needs.
· A subordinate obeys a supervisor possessing expert power because the boss ordinarily knows more about what is to be done or how it is to be done than does the subordinate.
· Expert power is relative, not absolute.
· However the table may turn in case the subordinate has superior knowledge or skills than his/ her boss.
· In this age of technology driven environments, the second proposition holds true in many occasions where the boss is dependent heavily on the juniors for technologically oriented support.
2. Rational persuasion
· It is the ability to control another’s behaviour.
· Through the individual’s efforts by using rational persuasion, the person accepts the command.
· Rational persuasion involves both explaining the desirability of expected outcomes and showing how specific actions will achieve these outcomes.
3. Referent power
· It is the ability to control another’s behaviour because the person wants to identify with the power source.
· In this case, a subordinate obeys the boss because he or she wants to behave, perceive, or believe as the boss does.
· This obedience may occur, for example, because the subordinate likes the boss personally and therefore tries to do things the way the boss wants them done.
· In a sense, the subordinate attempts to avoid doing anything that would interfere with the pleasing boss subordinate relationship
4. Charismatic Power
· It is an extension of referent power stemming from an individual’s personality and interpersonal style.
· Others follow because they can articulate attractive visions, take personal risks, demonstrate follower sensitivity, etc.
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