Power Module VII

Organizational Power
Dr. Bhumija Chouhan

Concept
Power: is the ability to get something
done the way a person wants it to do.
It includes the ability to gather physical
and human resources and put them to
work to reach a goal.
Power is essential for leadership and
management functions.
Power is more than dominance: a
capacity to get something done in an
organization
It is central feature of political behavior
According to Robbins power is the capacity that
A has to influence the behaviour of B, so B does
something he would not -otherwise do. This
definition includes five things:
Potential
Dependency
Discretion
Specific
Reciprocal
Potential: A potential that need not be
actualized to be effective. For eg-a football
coach has power to bench a player who is
not performing up to par.
Dependency: A dependency relationship
i.e. the greater B’s dependence on A,
greater would be A’s power in relationship.
Discretion: The assumption that B has
some discretion over his own behaviour.
As an employee you may be dependent
on your supervisor for continued
employment. But in spite of this
dependence he may not join hands with
the supervisor in stealing store items or
cash
Specific: It is specific in the sense that it
can be exercised by some people that too
in some circumstances.
Reciprocal: Power in an organisation is
essentially reciprocal in nature. It is based
on the two-way concept of influencing
others and getting influenced in the
process.
Power is the capacity of a person, team, or
organization to influence others.
 The potential to influence others
 People have power they don’t use and may
not know they possess
 Power requires one person’s perception of
dependence on another person
Model of power in organisations
Sources
of power
Power
Legitimate
over others
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent Contingencies
of power
Sources of power
Legitimate power
Reward power
Coercive power
Expert power
Referent power
Coercive Power :Power that is based on fear
Reward Power: Power that is based on the
ability to distribute rewards that are seen as
valuable
Legitimate Power :Power that a person receives
as a result of his/her position in the hierarchy
Expert Power: Power based on specific skills or
knowledge
Referent Power: Power based on admiration of
another
 Legitimate power
Derives from position
Decision authority
 Reward power
Tie positive results to a person’s behavior
Organization’s reward system and policies
 Coercive power
Tie negative results to a person’s behavior
Organization’s reward system and policies
 Referent power:.
positive feelings about the leader
Related to charisma
 Expert power: technical knowledge and
expertise
 Flow from the attributes and qualities of the
person
 Strongly affected by attribution processes
Power Vs Authority
Ability: It is the ability Right: It is the right to
of an individual to command and extract
affect and influence the work from
others. employees.
Leadership: It is Narrow: It is a narrow
generally associated concept. A manager
with leadership may have
Broad: It is a broader considerable authority
concept and include but still may be
authority also in some powerless.
sense
Two faces: It has two Congruence:
faces Negative and Authority cannot have
Positive. Personal markedly distinct
power is negative and faces. And such
socialized power is distinction becomes
positive. ridiculous with regard
Personal: It is a to authority.
personal quality Positional: It is mostly
vested in the position.
Legitimate power is
similar to authority.
Difference Between
Power/Influence/Authority
Power - the ability to influence another
person
Influence - the process of affecting the

thoughts, behavior, & feelings of another
person
Authority - the right to influence another

person
Influence
It is an all inclusive concept that covers both
authority and power
It covers any means by which behavioural
change is induced in individuals or groups.
Influence is multi directional and includes a
spectrum of ways such as emulation,
suggestion, persuasion etc. to effect behaviour.
Like power influence does not rely upon formal
position or sanctions in obtaining the agreement.
Influence has power of choice with freedom to
accept or reject.

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Organizational Power

Dr. Bhumija Chouhan

Influence - the process of affecting the

Authority - the right to influence another

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