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busi 240 lecture notes
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Coping with uncertainty: expert power
Organizations operate better in predictable environments.
•People gain power by using their expertise to:
•Prevent environmental changes.
•Forecast environmental changes.
•Absorb environmental changes.
Other Sources of Power
Reward power:
•Control rewards valued by others, remove negative sanctions.
Coercive power:
•Ability to apply punishment.
Referent power:
•Capacity to influence others through identification with and respect for the power holder
.•Associated with charisma.
Power Contingency: Nonsubstitutability
Power increases with nonsubstitutability.•Resource has few/no other sources.
•Resource has few/no substitutes.
Increasing nonsubstitutability
•Differentiate the resource.
•Control access to the resource.
Centrality:
-Interdependence with power holder.
-How many and how quickly others are affected by you.
Visibility:
-Known as holder of valued resource.
-Social interaction, power symbols.
Discretion:
-Freedom to exercise judgment
-Rules limit discretion.
Social networks:
-Connecting through forms of interdependence.
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busi 240 lecture notes
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-Instrumental and expressive functions.
-Cultural differences, for example, Guanxi.
Social capital:
-Sharing knowledge, opportunities, and other resources in a social network.
-Mutual support, trust, reciprocity, coordination to facilitate resource sharing.
Networks offer three power resources:
-Information (expert power)
-Visibility.
-Referent power.
Strong ties:
-Close-knit relationships.
-Offer resources more quickly/plentifully,but less unique.
Weak ties:
-Acquaintances.
-Offer unique resources, but more slowly.
Many ties:
-Resources increase with number of ties.
-Information technology helps, but still a limit.AB
CentralityPerson's importance in a network.
Three factors in centrality:
1) Betweenness: connected between others.
2) Degree centrality: number of connections.
3) Closeness: stronger connections.
Example: "A" has highest centrality due to all three factors; "B" has lowest centrality.
PowerEffect of power depends on type of power.
Type A: Feeling empowered: •Perceived power over themselves and freedom from
others' influence.•Higher motivation, but less mindful thinking, less empathy, more
reliance on stereotypes.
Type B: Power over others:•Produces sense of duty/responsibility.•Less stereotyping,
more empathy, more mindful of how their actions affect others.
Any behavior that attempts to alter another person's attitudes or behavior.
Applies one or more power bases, conditional on power contingencies.
Essential activity in organizations:
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•Coordinate with others.•Part of leadership definition.•Everyone engages in influence.
Silent authority.
Power holder's request or mere presence influences behavior.
•Legitimate power (subtle).
Assertiveness.
Vocal authority:
•Reminding, checking, bullying.
•Legitimate/coercive power.
Information control.
Manipulating others' access to information to change their attitudes/behavior
Coalition formation.
Pooling members' resources and power to influence others.•
Three functions:
•Pools power and resources.
•Symbolizes that issue is legitimate/important.
•Influence through social identity.
Upward appeal.
Claiming higher authority support or showing evidence of that support.
Persuasion.
Logical arguments, emotional appeals.
•Effects of persuader, message, channel, audience.
Impression management.
Actively shaping others' perceptions/attitudes of us.
•Self-presentation.
•Personal brand •Applies impression management.
•Ingratiation
•Liking by, perceived similarity to, target person.
Exchange.
Exchange of resources for desired behavior.
•Exchange is used in negotiation, reciprocity, social networks.
"Soft" tactics generally more acceptable than "hard" tactics.
!!!
Appropriate influence tactic depends on:
-Influencer's power base.
-Organizational position. -Personal, organizational, cultural values and expectations.
Minimizing org. politics:
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1) Provide sufficient resources.
2) Clarify resource allocation rules.
3)Manage change effectively.
4)Discourage political behavior.
Dysfunctional Conflict in the Air
Overt conflict is rare among commercial airline crew members, but when these clashes
do occur, the consequences can be costly for the airline and inconvenient for
passengers.
negative outcomes of conflict
-Lower performance.
-Higher stress, dissatisfaction, turnover.
-Less information sharing and coordination.
-More organizational politics.
-Wasted resources.
-Weaker team cohesion (when conflict within team).
positive outcomes of conflict
-Better decision making.
-Tests logic of arguments.
-Questions assumptions.
-Generates creative thinking.
-More responsive to the changing environment.
-Stronger team cohesion (when conflict with outside opponents).
Task versus Relationship Conflict
Task conflict.
1)Focuses on quality of ideas/arguments (logic, evidence, assumptions).
2) Shows respect for all participants.
3)Avoids critiquing opponent's competence or power.
Relationship conflict.
1)Focuses on opponent's character (experience, intelligence, credibility).
2) Tries to win argument by undermining opponent's credibility.
3) Relies on status, assertive behavior.
4) Dysfunctional consequences:
-Triggers defense mechanisms.
-Reduces trust: emphasizes differences in status/competence of parties.
-Reduces motivation to communicate: escalates conflict.
Minimizing Relationship Conflictduring Task Conflict
Goal: encourage task conflict, minimize relationship conflict.
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Emotional intelligence.
•Better at regulating emotions, less hostility.
•Better at reframing other's hostility.
Team development.
•Better mutual understanding.
•High cohesion: motivation to minimize relationship conflict.
Psychological safety team norms.
•Perceived safety to constructively disagree.
•Norms encourage respect, show interest, open-minded.
