Lecture 1 Flashcards
1. Define leadership and discuss some of the general issues surrounding research on leadership; 2. Define the term social hierarchy, describe its functions, and compare status with power hierarchies; 3. Describe the difference between leadership emergence and leadership effectiveness.
Leadership
the process of influencing others to understand and agree about what needs to be done and how to do it, and the process of facilitating individual and collective efforts to
accomplish shared objectives
Why is leadership important?
- to coordinate group movement
- to resolve conflict, deciding on punishment
- managing intergroup relations
How can leadership success be defined?
Through objective and subjective outcomes: org performance, measured by profits, productivity, market share or return on investment, follower attitudes, liking, trust.
Through group processes: enhancing teamwork, cooperation, decision-making, and conflict resolution
Direct leadership
A leader influences followers through direct interaction, such as meetings, emails, speeches, and personal engagement
Indirect leadership
A leader influences people who do not interact with them directly, at different levels of the organization
Social hierarchy
An implicit or explicit rank order of individuals or groups with respect to a valued social dimension
How and why do hierarchies develop?
- explicitly through formal systems of social roles or implicitly through organic development in a group which results in hierarchical differentiation
- people who rank higher in the hierarchy obtain more of a value social dimension than those who rank lower
- establishing order, facilitates coordination and motivates individuals
What is formal hierarchy?
Includes job titles, reporting structures, organization charts. Consists of a small top-management team, a layer of middle management and lower level employees. Individuals at higher ranks have a greater combination of skills, ability and motivation. People can move within the hierarchy but the hierarchy outlasts these changes. They are stable as changing the structure is costly
What is informal hierarchy?
When it develops organically and informally in groups usually rapidly based on judgements of others’ competence. There are high agreements between group members about the rank order. The basis for informal hierarchical differentiation varies. If a certain dimension is judged more important than the hierarchy changes
Social status
the extent to which an individual or group is respected or admired by others. Rank ordering is based on the amount of respect, subjective but high consensus. Respect can be attributed based on judgements of expertise and competence. If the attribution of respect changes, then so does the status hierarchy
Social power
asymmetric control over valued resources in social relations. They may have more power as they possess or have access to positively valued resources or can distribute a negatively valued resource. Rank ordering here is based on access to resources, so is more objective than status
What is the relationship between power and status?
Power is the property of the actor, while status is the property of a co-actor or observer. Power can lead to status if respect is given for having control over valued resources. Status can lead to power as those who are more respected can have more valued resources. Resources take on greater value through their associations with highly respected individuals
What are the two paradigms of leadership?
Leader emergence: how a person becomes a leader, usually based on personality, experience, circumstances, right place or luck
Leader effectiveness: leader’s ability to achieve desired outcomes, which has consequences for followers and stakeholders
What is important for studying leadership success?
Objective vs subjective
Narrow vs broad focus
Different levels of analysis
Focus on leader vs followers
Theoretical approaches
What is the role of an idea generator?
When an individual convinces the group of the purpose/goal and the way to achieve then an organization and its culture are shaped
Organization
A consciously coordinated social entity with a relatively identifiable boundary, which functions on a continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals. This involves mastering economic reality
Why do organizations exist?
To achieve goals that cannot be achieved by one person working alone
Machine metaphor
It involves a clear hierarchy, discipline, control, routine, people are expected to fit the requirements of the machine. People are seen as replaceable, this dehumanizes work and the work force
Organism metaphor
It involves flexibility, survival, environment, effectiveness, adaptable. Organisms die though and organizations don’t have to.
Psychic prison metaphor
It involves restrictions and constraints, repression, becoming trapped in ways of thinking and roles become reality. Individuals erase their identity
Political system metaphor
It involves competing and conflicting interests, power as a medium to resolve conflict and organizational politics. It highlights conflict more than collaboration
How is the organization a cyborg?
Due to the integration of human workers and AI devices or systems
Features of cyborg organizations?
- Organizational Internal Eyes (OIEs)
The refer to the technological “sensors” and monitoring systems embedded within the organization. These systems gather real-time data on various internal aspects such as employees’ biometric information (e.g., heart rate, stress levels) and environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, light, pressure). - Bifurcated Structure Impacting Organizational Structure
With the advance of automation and artificial intelligence, a cyborg organization develops a split (or bifurcation) in its structure. This means that instead of a single uniform operating core, the organization divides into two distinct domains:- Human Domain (HD): The strategic apex and supervisory roles remain with human managers who decide on overall strategies and control.
- Machine Domain (MD): Routine, repetitive, and even some detailed decision–execution tasks are increasingly handled by intelligent machines or software.
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Techno-Empowerment (e.g., CASA Theory – “Computers Are Social Actors”)
This refers to the evolving role of intelligent machines that are increasingly granted a degree of autonomy in decision-making. According to theories such as CASA (which posits that humans tend to interact with computers and other devices as if they were social partners), employees may forge relationships with machines in much the same way they do with each other - Technoization
Technoization describes an advanced stage of cyborg organizational evolution in which the integration of technology becomes so pervasive that almost all functions—from data collection and process automation to even strategic decision making—are dominated by machines. In this extreme form, only the very top (the strategic apex) remains in the human domain while the rest of the organization is managed by computers and automated systems. The term “technoization” contrasts with the word “organization” (which connotes organic, living qualities) by implying that much of the organic human element is replaced by artificial techne.
What are the implications of this metaphor?
It reduces human error and workforce cost. But work changes, KSAOs change, leading to various challenges and opportunities that depend on the individual situation and the perception of those changes. There will be quick adaptation based on real-time data, market responsive development, reduced cost of employees. But there is overcontrol and resistance to control, overreliance, unrealistic information bubbles, digital sabotage by external entities
