Organisational Power - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1909 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Organizational Power Abstract Power is an intangible force in organizations. It cannot be seen, but its effect can be felt. Power also is an important part of all organized behavior. It characterizes all human interaction. Organizational power permeates all aspects of interpersonal communications and is an essential characteristic of all organizational actions. For organizations, the difference between proper and improper use of power is the difference between success and failure, high and low productivity, motivation and disillusionment. This paper includes a review and analysis of the classical concepts of organizational power in management literature, a description of power style, and research findings on the use of power in every field of organization. Then, the paper will introduce several sources of organizational power and will cite how power influences every aspects of organization. Keyword: Organizational power, Source of power, expert power, rew ard power, referent power, legitimate power, crisis, power sharing, maintain power, managing conflict. Introduction Power is an intangible force in organizations. It cannot be seen, but its effect can be felt. Fairholm, G. W (2011) concludes that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“power also is an important part of all organized behavior; It characterizes all human interactionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 14). Organizational power permeates all aspects of interpersonal communications and is an essential characteristic of all organizational actions. For organizations, the difference between proper and improper use of power is the difference between success and failure, high and low productivity, motivation and disillusionment. (Fairholm, G. W, 2011, p. 14). Singh, A (2011) also concludes the power in organization as, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“dedication to the power is not enough to make an organization successful; the absence of a proper dedication results in poor organizational health and low productivityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 166). Definition. It is important to understanding what organizational power is. Draft (2012) defines organizational power as, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the ability of one person or department in an organization to influence other people to bring about desired outcomeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 531). Organizational power is a result of structural characteristics, because organizations are large and complex system that may contains thousands of employees and hundreds of departments. These departments and system have their own hierarchy structure. For these departments, some positions have access to more information and greater resources, or their performance and contribution to the organization are more critical. So, organizational power reflect large organizational relationships, both horizontal and vertical (Draft, 2012, p. 532). Power and management. Singh, A (2011) states that, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“power is needed even to run the most trivial functions of an organization or projectà ¢ â‚ ¬Ã‚  (p. 166). Power is a prerequisite for success, inspective of peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s inner needs for power. The magnitude and direction of the exercise of power is a function of the intentions and skills of the wielder. Organizational power is consequently seen as a management resource, much like information and technical expertise, which are management resources in their own right. The judicious use and design of organizational power is thus significant. (Singh, A, 2011, p. 166) Power Basis. Elias, S (2011) states five major types of power in organization, they are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, expert power, and referent powerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 269). First, Legitimate power is the formal power and authority legitimately granted to the manager under charter by the organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s peers. This power is clearly assigned by written or verbal contract, and it outlines the managerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s responsibilities. Legi timate power was initially said to be at use when a power holder had a genuine right to ask a target to comply with a request. Second, conceived of reward and coercive power involve the ability of a supervisor to manipulate objects and events of relevance to employees. Reward power is the ability of the manager to confer or withhold rewards such as money, privileges, promotion, or status. Managers may use coercive power as a tool to mention their subordinates that he or she may be deprived of something if he or she does not comply. Third, both expert and referent power were thought of in terms of being positive bases of power. With positive expert power, a subordinate complies with the request of a supervisor because the supervisor knows best. With positive referent power, a subordinate complies with the request of a supervisor because the subordinate identifies with the supervisor. (Elias, S, 2011, p. 275) Crisis and problems with power. Power can brings positive effect to the d evelopment and operation of organization if it has been well used, but the power also could bring negative effects to organization itself, if managers abuse of the power. Knuth, R (2012) brought a new definition, cheap leader, to someone who lack of leadership and abuse of power, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“cheap leader is flexible disposition, varying as fortune and circumstances dictate; cheap leaders exist at every level of the organizationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 44). Whereas effective leadership advances the common good, cheap leadership is motivated by self-benefit and lust to the power. In addition to manufacturing third-party threats, favorites and reliance on reward power and coercive power identify the cheap leader. Cheap leaders adhere to delegate to others the enactment of unpopular measures and keep in hands the distribution of favors. This conclusion was based on the contention that personal approval from another individual can be a very strong reward, while the threat of rejection can be a very strong form of coercion. (Knuth, R, 2012, p. 45) For expert and referent power, although positive power has benefit to the organization, but the negative of such power cannot be ignored. There are situations in which expert and referent power can take negative forms. For example, while a supervisor may possess superior knowledge about a certain facet of his or her job, possessing such knowledge does not necessarily mean that it will be put to use in a way that will benefit his or her subordinates. On the contrary, that supervisors knowledge may be used in such a fashion (i.e. negative expert power) that strictly benefits him or herself, resulting in resistance to the influence attempt. Negative referent power is said to occur when a supervisor who is disliked or not identified with by his or her subordinates attempts to utilize social power. In such situations, reactance or doing the opposite of what the supervisor requests is likely to occur given his or her subordina tes view him or her as being unattractive or unappealing. (Knuth, R, 2012, p. 46) These managers also cause many damages to the organization. At any level of the organization, cheap leadership has disaffection and dysfunction as its most common byproducts. Cheap leaders intentionally sow the seeds of divisiveness when they create an us-versus-them environment. The prominent fruit of these seeds is mistrust, which often spreads uncontrollably and unpredictably throughout the organization, fostering resentment, rumor, and gossip. The constricted communication that ensues reduces opportunities for employees to participate and demonstrate initiative, causing individuals to feel alienated from the work and the work place. Often, even within fundamentally healthy organizations, there is only a hairs breadth between functionality and dysfunctionality; frequently, cheap leadership provides the additional weight that tips the organization into dysfunctionality. (Knuth, R, 2012, p. 47) Power Management. It is important for managers and organizations to know how to managing power and how to use their power effectively. McManus, J (2013) provides several helps suggestions for managers to know the way to maintaining and managing power. The first opinion is power sharing. McManus, J (2013) states that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Power sharing is a strategy for resolving difference of opinions over who should have the powerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 29). Instead of fighting over who should have power over whom, power sharing relies upon the joint exercise of power. Power sharing can take the form of granting complete independence and allowing a minority group to form its own sovereign nation state. Power sharing also can be more integrative. Governance is handled by leaders from each group who work jointly and cooperatively to make decisions and resolve conflicts. (McManus, J, 2013, p. 31) The second opinion is about maintaining power. McManus, J (2013) points out, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the purpose of power is to maintain itself and to extend itselfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p. 31). The ruler must make use of any form of manipulation, deceit, and even murder to achieve his ends. People in power are seldom challenged or given bad news, and even when challenged, they have a tendency to reject the discrepant information. It is no wonder, then, that changing circumstances often produce, with some lag, a dynamic that causes those in power to lose that power. To avoid losing power, managers (or leaders) should be sensitive to subtle changes in the political, economic and social environment, and understand how a particular management style, or a particular set of actions jeopardize their position and power base. (McManus, J, 2013, p. 31) The third suggestion is about managing conflict. Conflict could be argued that a managers view of the cause of conflict is encouraged by the perspective offered by the classical theory which is largely related to the breakdown of formal authority l inked to legitimate power and the need for measures to maintain such power and restore it when need be. Conflict is identified as abnormal behavior and therefore is likely to result in punishment for the perpetrators of deviant behavior. In some respects this supports the view that management is based on a unitary view which carries with it the expectations that everyone within the organization shares the same view, will work together as a team, acknowledge the legitimacy of hierarchy and respect senior management. Anything which appears to interfere with this view is considered bad for business and is dealt with according to the rules, procedures, customs and conventions which exist within a particular organization. Conclusion. Power and organizations are mutual exclusive in todayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s business environment. The development and normal operation of organizations rely on power heavily. If managers have necessary knowledge about what power is and how to use it effectiv ely, the power would bring positive effect to the organization. However, the power also contains several risks and crisis to the organization, because the positive effect of the power to the organization is based on the correct use; if managersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ abuse of the power, the organization may face serious problems. So, power is a Pandora box for both managers and organization, the organizational power is a decision-making exercise for which the managers have to place organizational interests above personal interests. It is only when the managers lead well that personnel will follow enthusiastically and the organization will develop continuously. Reference Draft. (2012). Organizational Theory and Design. South-Western Cengage Learning. Elias, S. (2008). Fifty years of influence in the workplace. Journal of Management History, 14(3), 267-283. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.1108/17511340810880634 Fairholm, G. W. (2009). Organizational Power Politics. Santa Barbara, CA, USA: ABC-CLIO. Retrieved from https://www.ebrary.com Knuth, R. (2012). The negative uses of power. Principal Leadership, 5(3), 44-49. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/233345352?accountid=12085 McManus, J. (2013). Managing with POWER. Management Services, 50(4), 29-34. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/234319701?accountid=12085 Singh, A. (2009). Organizational Power in Perspective. Leadership Management In Engineering, 9(4), 165-176. Retrieved from: https://rx9vh3hy4r.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.comrft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journalrft.genre=articlerft.atitle=Organizational+Power+in+Perspectiverft.jtitle=Leadership+and+Management+in+Engineeringrft.date=2009-10-01rft.pub=American+Society+of+Civil+Engineersrft.issn=1532-6748rft.eissn=1943-5630rft.volume=9rft.issue=4rft.spage=165rft.epage=176rft_id=info:doi/10.1061%2F%28ASCE%29LM. 1943-5630.0000018rft.externalDocID=10_1061_ASCE_LM_1943_5630_0000018paramdict=en-US Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Organisational Power" essay for you Create order

Public policy help shaped the world we live in today. It...

Public policy help shaped the world we live in today. It is formed at the federal level to resolve problems created throughout the United States to standardize the way business can be conducted and to protect the working people, with their jobs, with their wages, and the conditions they work in. It provides the solution to the problems we faced in America and keeps our government involved with all the citizens of the United States of America. Public policy is created by the American system of government to improve the way the American citizens live their lives. One way public policy has helped shape the way America is today is through Labor laws. Before a public policy is formed or implemented, there has to be a problem with the†¦show more content†¦Back then, it was illegal for workers to create unions and strikes but now the right to strike is taken as a given. With many more instances of strikes and unions forming throughout the years, and many injuries and deaths paved a way for future workers, in which the Wagner Act was passed. The Wagner Act was created to protect the workers to form unions and to debate over wages, hours, and terms and conditions of work, therefore allowing them to take part in strikes to in support of their demands. The Supreme Court initially declared the Act unconstitutional but then reversed its decision in 1937 in the case: National Labor Relations Board v. Jones Laughlin Steel Corporation. Chief Justice Huges delivered the opinion of the Court stating, â€Å"The theory of the Act is that free opportunity for negotiation with accredited representatives of employees is likely to prom ote industrial peace, and may bring about the adjustments and agreements which the Act, in itself, does not attempt to compel.† The Wagner Act gave rise to unions around the country. Unions gained so much power throughout the years to the point that received wages and benefits so high that it became detrimental to the cause. General Motors for example was eventually forced to move factories to other countries or shut them down all together because they were no longer able to afford to pay the wages andShow MoreRelated Paper761 Words   |  4 Pages In the 1790s members of the industry in both Paris and London were working on inventions to try to mechanise paper-making. In England John Dickenson produced the cylinder machine that was operational by 1809. Although useful for smaller enterprises, this lacked the large scale potential of the machine resulting from the invention of Nicholas-Louis Robert in Paris, which had a more complicated incubation period. The last of the early improvements to this machine were financed by the Fourdrinier brothersRead MoreReflection Paper836 Words   |  4 Pagesand integ rating quotes. 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Family and Cousin free essay sample

Human behavior can be explored by taking a look at the different aspects of a person’s life. These aspects include the biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual. These aspects can help social workers better understand the background history of a person’s life and gather information in order to do an accurate assessment of a person. This paper does not intend to make an assessment but it’s rather an informative paper in order to discover and understand the various systems of a person’s life. Furthermore this paper will also focus on how these systems interact with one another. I chose to do this paper on my cousin who just became a mother and she is currently learning how to adapt to her new way of life. I think she is in an interesting stage in her life and that is also why I chose her. My cousin and I are only a year apart in age and she chose a different path from the one that is expected after she graduated from high school. She decided not to go to college and began to work doing random retail jobs until she found a permanent job as a hostess. We are so different now but a few years ago we did get along and had a lot of things in common. Her relationship with her mother has also changed and now that my cousin is a mother, they seem to understand each other better. BIO-PHYSICAL My cousin’s name is Carla Sanchez and she is twenty two years old and the youngest of three. She is 5’5 and before she had the baby she had lost so much weight but now she regained some of that weight back. She has dark long hair and dark brown eyes. Before she became pregnant she fell in love with her baby’s father and lost a lot of weight. During her teenage years she was not as determined to lose weight as she was when she was nineteen when she met her significant other. During her pregnancy her body went through some physical changes. She did not have impulsive cravings and she ate the foods she normally eats but in larger portions. She gained around sixty pounds and now she looks like the way she did before she lost the weight. Her weight when she was a younger child before the teenage years resembles that of her mother. My aunt had an average weight because she was not skinny but she was not overweight either. My cousin’s weight then was average like her mother’s because due to the genes that were passed down to her through her mother. My cousin’s baby is a girl and looks more like her father but she has my cousin’s straight hair. Now that it has been several weeks after childbirth my cousin plans and is determined to lose the weight again. She looks like her mother and both have a healthy mother and daughter relationship. She is very open-minded and very out spoken. Her mother is also an open-minded person. According to the biological determinism theory it is evident that a person’s personality and physical appearance is embedded into a child from birth trough genetics. My cousin’s parents divorced when she was a young child and therefore she has always been close to her mother and that is why my aunt has been able to greatly influence my cousin’s behavior. Most of her life she has been more attached to her mother. Â  According to Erikson’s theories of psychological development my cousin is in the intimacy versus isolation stage. My cousin’s childhood and teenage years have passed by. All that is left of her childhood and teenage years are memories. She began working at restaurants during her high school years and has stayed with that career. She has gone from being a waitress when she was sixteen to a hostess. However she is thinking of going back to school because she was her daughter to look up to her when her daughter is older. My cousin did not get married and she is not living with her boyfriend. She lives at home with her baby and her mother. All her time is devoted to her baby however there have been times when she is overwhelmed with the task of raising a child and her mother helps her so that she can at least have some time to rest. According to Paiget my cousin is at the stage four which is based on formal operations. At this level problems are now approached using logic, reason and combinational thought. Also individuals at this stage with formal operations can think about their own thoughts, feelings and think about thinking. I think that at this point Paiget is focusing on how we can look back at our past and reflect. My cousin is able to do this now and she now reflects on how her mother raised her so that she can raise her daughter the same way. My cousin constantly worries whether or not she is raising her child in a proper way or to the extent that it is expected of a mother to raise her child. She lives with her mother and her mother helps her by giving her advice from how to comfort the child to how to give the baby a bath. My cousin’s friend had her baby before my cousin and when her friend met my cousin’s child she was also giving her advice on hoe to take care of the baby. She is acquiring knowledge on how to raise her child from people such as her mother that have had years of experience raising children. Her friend told her that she worries to whether she is taking care of her baby the right way. My cousin has to endure a psychological as well as physical adaptation. Paiget describes adaptation as the process by which structures of the mind develop over time to achieve a better fit with the environment and external reality. My cousin is still eating food in large portions as she did when she was pregnant but now she is drinking more milk because she chose to breastfeed her baby. Therefore she keeps gaining weight and is also stressed out. As far as her mental state she is stressed and cannot focus on herself because she is constantly thinking about the well-being of her baby. She worries just as much as other mothers do because she wants her baby to be happy. She said that her baby seems to be cranky most of the time and basically she is dedicating all her time to comfort the baby. My cousin had learned to adapt to her new role as a mother and she will need to keep up as the baby goes through different stages of her life. SOCIAL She has not been working since July and her social life is not as it used to be before she had the baby. However she was visited by her godparents and many friends when she brought the baby home. They have showered the baby with gifts and seeing how other people have acted towards the baby makes her happy. My cousin is trying her best to imitate her mother because she loves her mother and wants to follow her advice so that she can raise a happy child. According to the social learning theory behaviors are mediated by thoughts, expectations as well as emotions and stresses the importance of observational learning or modeling. In my cousin’s case she sees her mom as a model mom that she wants to imitate. As far as I know my aunt really sacrificed a lot so that my cousin’s could have a better life than the one she had. I have seen how selfless my aunt has been especially with my cousin Carla because she is the youngest one. My cousin wants the approval of her mother in everything she does because she has been very attached to my aunt. Her brother and sister live far away from them. My cousin has kept in touch with her fellow co-workers and many of them came to visit her when she brought the baby home. One of her friends who is a teacher and brought her a huge box of pampers. He also gave her some parenting advice because he, as a father of three, thinks that he has had enough experience with kids. He was very happy to see the baby and many of her friends came to see the baby as well. Even though my cousin has not gone out since she gave birth in November 30th, she has had her friends come over to her place to see the baby. However her weeks have turned into the same routine of just staying at home to take care of her baby. The baby’s father also visits her but not too often because their relationship is not in good standing. My cousin is trying to be the mother that society expects her to be but most importantly she is trying to imitate her own mother. My aunt is a fervent believer in the Catholic faith and she raised her children in the same faith as she was raised in. All of her three children were baptized, did the communions and attended mass on Sundays. Until this day my aunt does not miss a mass at her local church. Her children however have not been as devoted as my aunt has been. My cousin Carla stop attending church after her teenage years when she graduated from high school and spent her weekends working. However my aunt always tries to make sure that my cousin does not loose her faith. According to James V. Fowler’s theory of faith development my cousin is at the stage 5 which is the individuative-reflective faith. In this stage young adults question the beliefs and stories they have received from family, friends and other social groups. My cousin does not believe everything that my aunt was taught about Catholicism. For example my cousin did not get married and decided to raise a child as a single mother. My aunt did not approve of this because she was taught that a woman must be a virgin until she gets married. Her other daughter moved in with her boyfriend and then got married. My aunt did not approve of this either. My aunt believes that salvation is obtained by following the church’s sacraments but my cousin believes that no one really knows how to obtain salvation. She also thinks that God is everywhere and therefore she does not need to attend mass every Sunday. My aunt was raised in a very religious home and in her native country religion plays an important role in life but her children who were raised in the United States have found a way to practice their religion however way they think is the proper way. My cousin plans to baptize her daughter and she has picked the godparents already. CULTURE My family is from Ecuador which is in Latin America so that makes us part of the Latino community. My cousin Carla was born in New Jersey. She had to learn about the Ecuadorian culture and the American culture. When she was a kid my aunt would travel with her and her other siblings to Ecuador so that they could visit their grandmother and learn their cultural roots. My cousin had to learn both languages English and Spanish. She now knows them fluently and this has helped her a lot because she was able to make a lot of friends. In Ecuador gender roles are so delineated. Men are expected to work and women are expected to stay at home raising the children. It is not common for females to work outside the home. Most females graduate from high school and after high school they start raising families. My cousin knows both cultures but since she was born and raised in the United States she identifies more with the American culture. When her baby gets older she expects to go back to work and even go back to school so that she can be able to provide a better living for both. She is a single mother but has learned a lot from her mother who got divorced from her husband when my cousin was a young child. In conclusion these several aspects of a person’s life help us understand how each one relates to the other and how they affect human behavior. Human behavior can be affected by the people we associate with and by the culture we are raised in as well as other factors. These several theories described in this paper are very helpful to understand why a person behaves a certain way.

Religion and Film

For a long time, studies linking religion and films have focused on describing the fidelity of films to religious texts, or their worth as tools in religious ministries and missions. In reality, films have been used to either portray religion as it was in the past, is currently or is expected to be in the future. Additionally, religious entities have used films to further their belief while some entities use films to criticize religion. Either way, the link is undeniable.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Religion and Film specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In Ostwalt (1998), the author notes how watching the Seventh seal opened him to the idea of suing films as an extension in teaching religion. This basically affirms the existence of a factual link between religion and films worth using in expounding on religious issues to learners. The author highlights a number of benefits in using films can be used in teac hing religion within classroom settings. These include student empowerment, instructiveness and motivation. He further notes that there quite a significant number of films which treat religion in a manner which elicits debate and as such open an avenue for evaluation of religion in depth (Ostwalt, 1998). For instance, he cites the Last Temptation of Christ, Jesus of Montreal, as well as the Scarlet Letter, among others (Ostwalt, 1998). Even then, there is no love lost between films and religion; some implicitly advance the role of religion in social well-being. It’s not only Ostwalt who acknowledges the link between religion and films, Lindvall (2004) provides a more detailed coverage of the relationship between religion and films. In the research, Lindvall, a lecturer at Duke Divinity School highlights how religion has been treated in films and vice-versa. From the satirical portrayals of the biblical stories in films, the use of films to represent contemporary religions, th e representation of Roman Catholics and the Legion of Decency in films, as well as use of films to criticize some religious practices considered oppressive in the ancient and modern times (Lindvall, 2004). In the article, the author notes how film scholars have come to terms with the importance of religion in engineering the religious landscape that dots films. The author sites the films that take viewers through the past century exhibitions and the role that religion played in the same. Religious extremism, religious sadists, and use of religion as tool for power are among the most commonly highlighted themes in the films. The author further highlights the undeniable and predominant perception of religion in films from a negative and hostile point of view (Lindvall, 2004). It is noted that religion as a subject has received harsh treatment in various films which at times fail to portrayal religion as it rather opting to create a dinosaur out of cat just to meet its entertainment th resholds.Advertising Looking for book review on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The hard reality though, is the fact that they ultimately elicit lots of discussion with respect to its portrayal of religion. It is the aftermath of such movies, he cites, that has seen some religions like Islam throwing in strong sentiments at any movie that attempts to puts spots to its credibility (Lindvall, 2004). However, Christian and contemporary religions have remained open to thrashing, ridicule and in some cases furtherance within a number of films. In conclusion, it’s important to note that both authors converge to one point, various films are intertwined to religion and impact on the fundamentals of the religion they address. The role of religion in film creation and the role of films in religion are worth studying in addition to providing an avenue for debates and discussion of religion. As Ostwalt (1998) pu ts, films elicit hot debates that help students and the general public delve deeper into understanding religion. References Lindvall, T. (2004). Religion and Film. Part I: History and Criticism. Communication Research Trends, 23 (4-7), pp. 2-44. Ostwalt, C. (1998). Religion and Popular Movies. Journal of Religion and Film, 2(3) This book review on Religion and Film was written and submitted by user Jaxton Wolfe to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.