Power and Its Types

What type of power involves the ability to influence through the provision of desired rewards?

Which factor indicates how easily a person can be replaced in their role?

What is an example of high centrality in a workplace?

In which scenario would a person experience low discretion?

Which power type is derived from an individual's knowledge and expertise?

How does high visibility affect a person's power?

Which type of power requires that the target feels a sense of obligation?

What characteristic is associated with low substitutability?

Power

Power is the ability of one person (agent) to influence another (target).
There are 5 types of power:
- Reward power: ability to give/take away things the target desires.
- Coercive power: ability to give/take away things the target doesn't want.
- Expert power: ability to influence based on knowledge/expertise.
- Legitimate power: ability to influence due to a position of authority.
2 categories of power:
- Position power: based on a person's role
  - Reward
  - Coercive
  - Legitimate
- Personal power: based on the person themselves
  - Expert
  - Referent
4 factors affecting power:
- Substitutability:
  - Low substitutability: hard to replace (e.g., doctor with unique specialty), strengthens power
  - High substitutability: easy to replace, weakens power
- Centrality:
  - Low centrality: few people depend on them (e.g., secretary), weakens power
  - High centrality: many people depend on them (e.g., IT technician), strengthens power
- Discretion:
  - Low discretion: little freedom/choices (e.g., unionized supervisor), weakens power
  - High discretion: significant freedom/choices (e.g., non-unionized supervisor), strengthens power
- Visibility:
  - Low visibility: little awareness of their power (e.g., supervisor employees don't know experience), weakens power
  - High visibility: high awareness of their power (e.g., supervisor whose employees know experience), strengthens power

This quiz explores the concept of power, its types, and the factors that affect it. Understand the distinctions between position power and personal power, as well as the five types of power that leaders can wield. Test your knowledge of how power dynamics operate in various contexts.