Power and Politics Flashcards
1
Q
Power
A
Capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes.
2
Q
Power Involves
A
- Potential - Power does not necessarily have to be used to be effective
- Dependency - The greater B’s dependence on A, the greater A’s power in the relationship
- Related to importance, scarcity, and non-substitutability
3
Q
What is the difference between power and authority
- power
A
- Not necessarily reflected on organizational chart
- Can be exercised up, down, or sideways
4
Q
Authority
A
- Narrower in scope
- Prescribed by formal hierarchy and reporting relationships
- Vested in organizational positions
- Flows down the vertical hierarchy
5
Q
French & Raven’s Five Baeses of Power
A
- Legitimate Power
- Reward Power
- Coercive Power
- Referent Power
- Expert Power
6
Q
Legitimate Power
A
- Power derived from a person’s position or job (i.e., formal structural position)
- Does not have a negative effect
- Does not generally stimulate employees to improve their attitudes or performance
- Does not generally result in increased commitment.
- Can result in compliance if employees have been socialized to accept authority
7
Q
Reward Power
A
- Power derived from the ability to provide positive outcomes and prevent negative ones
- May improve performance in a variety of situations if the rewards are consistent with what the individuals want as rewards.
- Can result in compliance (if rewards are valued)
8
Q
Coercive Power
A
- Power derived from the use of punishment and threat
- Results in negative responses
- Associated with lower job satisfaction, commitment, perceptions of justice
- Can result in mistrust, fear, and resistance
9
Q
Referent Power
A
- Power derived from being liked by others
- Associated with higher commitment, job satisfaction, perceptions of justice
- Generally, well responded to
- Very potent
10
Q
Expert Power
A
- Power derived from having special information or expertise
- Associated with higher commitment, job satisfaction, perceptions of justice
- Associated with higher employee effectiveness
- Relies on trust that all relevant information is given out honestly and completely.
11
Q
Leaders’ Use of Power
A
- The least effective power bases are the ones most likely to be used by managers
- Coercive, legitimate, and reward
- Easiest to implement
- Effective leaders use referent and/or expert power
- Note: Individuals may hold more than 1 power base at the same time.
12
Q
Empowerment
A
- Giving employees the authority, opportunity, and motivation to take initiative and solve organizational problems.
- Related to self-efficacy
- Associated with higher levels of job satisfaction, commitment, citizenship behaviors, and job performance
- Influence tactics - assertiveness, integration, self-promotion, rationality, exchange, upward appeal, coalition formation (seeking united support from other org member)
13
Q
Empowerment
A
- Giving employees the authority, opportunity, and motivation to take initiative and solve organizational problems.
- Related to self-efficacy
- Associated with higher levels of job satisfaction, commitment, citizenship behaviors, and job performance
- Influence tactics - assertiveness, integration, self-promotion, rationality, exchange, upward appeal, coalition formation (seeking united support from other org member)
14
Q
Subunit power
A
the degree of power held by various organizatioanl subnits, such as departments
15
Q
Strategic contingencies
A
- critical factors affecting organizational effectiveness that are controlled by a key subunit
- Scarcity, uncertainty, centrality, substitability
