What are power and influence?

What are the key sources of power and

influence?
What is empowerment?
What is organizational politics?

Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 12-2

Power
The ability to get someone to do
something you want done.
The ability to make things happen in
the way you want.

Influence
Expressed by others behavioral
response to the exercise of power.
12-3 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Two primary sources of power:
Position
Derives from a persons position in the
organization.
Personal
Resides in the individual.
Independent of that individuals position.

12-4 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Legitimate Reward Coercive
Process Information Representative
TYPES OF POSITION POWER
12-5 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Legitimate power
The extent to which a manager can use
subordinates internalized values or beliefs
that the boss has a right of command to
control their behavior.

12-6 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reward power
The extent to which a manager can use
extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other
people.
Coercive power
The extent to which a manager can deny
desired rewards and administer punishments
to control other people.
12-7 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Process power
The control that a manager
has over methods of
production and analysis.
12-8 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Information power
The access to and/or control of information.
Representative power
The formal right conferred to an individual
by the firm to speak for a potentially
important group.
12-9 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Expert
Rational
Persuasion
Coalition
Ability to control anothers behavior
through the possession of knowledge,
experience or judgment.
Ability to control anothers behavior
because of accepted desirability of an
offered goal and a way of achieving it.
Ability to control anothers behavior
because the person wants to identify
with the power source.
Ability to control anothers behavior
indirectly because of a reciprocal
obligation to you or the larger group.
Referent
12-10 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Empowerment
The process by which managers help others
to acquire and use the power needed to
make decisions affecting themselves and
their work.
One view considers power to be something
that can be shared by everyone working in
flatter and more collegial structures.

12-11 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Two traditions of organizational politics:
Machiavellian focuses on self interest and
the use of nonsanctioned means philosophy.
Art of creative compromise among
competing interests - view that states the firm
is more than just an instrument for
accomplishing a task or a mere collection of
individuals with a common goal.
12-12 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effects of organizational politics
Enhances the achievement of organizational goals
and survival.
Can serve a number of important work functions.
Provides a mechanism for circumventing
inadequacies and getting the job done.
Helps identify problems and move ambitious,
problem-solving managers.

12-13 Copyright 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.