Organizational Behavior Chapter 11

Power

The ability to influence another person

Influence

The process of affecting thoughts, behavior, and feelings of another person

Authority

The right to influence another person

Zone of Indifference

The range in which attempts to influence a person will be perceived as legitimate and will be acted on without a great deal of thought

Organizational Power

Granted to an individual and/or accepted as being tied to the Authority of a position, title, or role

Legitimate Power

Power that is based on position and mutual agreement; agent and target agree that the agent has the right to influence the target

Reward Power

Power based on an agent's ability to control rewards that a target wants

Coercive Power

Power that is based on an agent's ability to cause an unpleasant experience or a target

Information Power

Access to and control over important information

Expert Power

The power that exists when an agent has specialized knowledge or skills that the target needs

Persuasive Power

The power to communicate in a manner that others find convincing

Referent Power

An elusive power that is based on interpersonal attraction (i.e. charisma, fame).

Sources of Intergroup Power

Groups hold power over other groups when they:
-Reduce uncertainty
-Function is central to organization
-Activities are difficult to replace
Specifically they:
-Control critical resources
-Control of strategic contingencies

Utilitarian Outcomes

Does the behavior produce a good outcome for people both inside and outside the organization?

Individual Rights

Does the behavior respect the rights of all parties?

Organizational Justice

Does the behavior treat all parties equitably and fair?

Organizational Politics

The use of power to influence organizations

Political Behavior

Actions not officially sanctioned by an organization that are taken to influence other in order to meet one's personal goals

Political Skill

The ability to get things done through positive interpersonal relationships outside the formal organization
4 Dimensions to political skill:
-Social astuteness (focus;attention)
-Networking Ability
-Interpersonal Influence
-Sincerity

Empowerment

-Creating conditions for heightened motivation through the development of strong sense of personal self-efficacy
-Sharing power within an organization
Guidelines for Empowering:
-Express confidence in employees and set high performance expectations
-Creat