Organizational Power Dynamics Quiz 10 - ADMN2220

Chapter Ten: Power and Influence at Work

• The chapter explores power and influence within workplaces.
• Learning objectives cover the nature of power, types of power, the power of social networks, consequences of power, influencing others, and organizational politics.
• Power is defined as the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others. Crucially, power is potential to change attitudes and behavior, not necessarily the change itself. People may not always be aware of their own power.
• Perception of power is key. The target must perceive the powerholder as controlling valuable resources. Power stems from unequal dependence.

Meaning of Power

• Power involves unequal dependence.

• Counter-vailing power is the ability of a person, team, or organization to keep a more powerful individual or group in check within an exchange relationship.

Model of Power in Organizations

• Power over others comes from various sources, including legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and referent power.
• Contingencies of power modify how these sources are used and ultimately result in varying levels of impact.

Types of Power

• Legitimate Power: Stems from a person's role or position, and allows them to request specific behaviors from others. Includes:
• Zone of indifference – range of behaviors the subordinate accepts without questioning.
• Norm of reciprocity – felt obligation to help someone who has helped you.
• Information control – right to distribute information; often creates dependence and frames the situation favorably.
• Reward Power: Control over the rewards valued by others, and the ability to remove negative sanctions.
• Coercive Power: Ability to apply punishment.
• Expert Power: Influence stemming from knowledge and skills valued by others. This often translates to proficiency in handling uncertainty. • Organisations function better in predictable environments. • Expertise allows individuals to predict and absorb change.
• Referent Power: Stems from the powerholder's charisma and others' identification with or respect for them.

Contingencies of Power

• This section highlights the factors that influence and modify the effectiveness of power sources.
• Substitutability – availability of alternatives is inversely proportional to power. Less substitutability = more power.
• Centrality – degree of interdependence with the power-holder. Higher centrality is when many people are affected, and the impact is quick.
• Discretion– the freedom to exercise judgment, limited by organizational rules.
• Visibility – being known as the holder of a valued resource, increased by face time and displays of power symbols.

Power of Social Networks

• Social networks are interconnected people in various relationships.
• Social capital is formed from the goodwill and shared resources within a network.
• Networks offer power through information, visibility, and referent power.
• Varying network ties (strong vs. weak) offer different advantages.

Social Network Centrality

• Person's importance within a network depends on factors like betweenness, degree, and closeness.

Consequences of Power

• Power affects the power-holder differently depending on the type of power being wielded.
• Expert and referent power increase empowerment, leading to increased motivation, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and job performance.
• Legitimate and reward power create a sense of duty, inducing individuals to be more mindful in their actions.

Influence

• Influence is any activity that attempts to change others’ attitudes or behaviors. This encompasses the use of various power bases.
• Influence is essential in organizations for coordination, leadership, and teamwork.
• Influence tactics include silent authority, assertiveness, information control, coalition formation, upward appeals, persuasion, impression management, and exchange.

Consequences of Influence

• Influence tactics lead to different outcomes: resistance, compliance, or commitment.
• Hard tactics are less desirable, soft tactics are generally accepted more easily. The best tactic depends upon influencer power base, organizational position, and cultural values.

Organizational Politics

• Organizational politics are self-serving behaviors perceived as such, often leading to personal gain at others’ or the organization’s expense.
• Negative outcomes include employees who experience significant politics having lower job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship, and lower task performance.

Types of Political Activity

• Political activity in organizations can be diverse.
• Includes attacking others, manipulating information, and maintaining favorable impressions.

Empowerment

• Empowerment is granting employees the freedom and ability to make decisions related to their jobs.
• Forms of empowerment include delegating decisions within a structured system, and empowering as a process encouraging personal growth.

Stages of Empowerment

• Three stages:
• No discretion: Employees are given limited autonomy, and tasks are often repetitive.
• Participatory: Workgroups have some autonomy over their job content.
• Self-management: Employees have complete control over job content.

Abuse of Power

• Workplace bullying and sexual harassment are examples of abuse.
• Bullying: Can occur across different levels of the organization, and among co-workers. Research shows one form of workplace misconduct impacts over 70% of Canadian employees.
• Sexual Harassment: Unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature in the workplace.

Test your understanding of power dynamics within organizational settings. This quiz covers various types of power, relationships between power and dependence, and the implications of roles in an organization. Explore concepts like countervailing power and the norm of reciprocity as they apply to real workplace scenarios.