Nature of Power

1
Nature of Power

• What is power?
• Ability to get things done as you want them,
  regardless of what others want
• Difference between Power and Authority?
• Authority is legitimate power
• Narrower in scope

2
Interpersonal Sources of Power

• Reward Power
• Coercive Power
• Legitimate Power
• Expert Power
• Referent Power

3
Resource DependenceThe A B Cs of Power
C
regulations
A A A A
B B B B
dependence
A
B
4
Employee Power
Expertise of Employee
Position Characteristics Centrality Criticality Fl
exibility Visibility Relevance
Expertise of Management
Power of Employee
Effort of Management
Access to Information Access to Resources Access
to Decision Making Access to Networks
Effort of Employee
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6
Structural Sources of Power

• Knowledge
• Resources
• Decision Making
• Networks

7
Power and Political Tactics

• To increase power base
• Enter areas of high uncertainty
• Create dependencies
• Provide resources
• Satisfy strategic contingencies

• Political tactics
• Build coalitions
• Expand networks
• Control decision premises
• Enhance legitimacy and expertise
• Make preferences explicit, but keep power implicit