Chapter 10

Question 1

power

Answer 1

the capacity of a person, team,
or organization to influence others.

power is not the act of changing someone’s attitudes or behavior; it is only the potential to do so

Question 2

Power is based on the targets ….. that the power holder controls

Answer 2

Perceptions

Question 3

Does power means your own perception or feeling of power?

Answer 3

No

Only exists when others believe you have power

Question 4

Power involves asymmetric/symmetric dependence/independence of one party on another party

Answer 4

asymmetric dependence

Question 5

countervailing power

Answer 5

the capacity of a person, team,
or organization to keep a more
powerful person or group in
the exchange relationship

E.g: Although dependence is a key element of power relationships, we use the phrase asymmetric dependence because the less powerful party still has some power—called countervailing power—over the more powerful party.

Question 6

What is a key factor of all power relationships?

Answer 6

They depend on some minimal level of trust.

Trust indicates a level of expectation that the more powerful party will de
liver the resource. For instance, you trust your employer to give you a paycheck at the end of each pay period. Even those in extremely dependent situations will usually walk away from the relationship if they lack a minimum level of trust in the more powerful party.

Question 7

legitimate power

Answer 7

an agreement among organizational members that people in specific roles can request a set of behaviors
from others.

It is likely the most important source of power in organizational settings, particularly between employees and
managers.

Question 8

norm of reciprocity

Answer 8

a felt obligation and social
expectation of helping or otherwise giving something of value to someone who has already helped or given something of value to you

Question 9

Higher trusted power holders have a smaller/larger zone of indiference

Answer 9

Larger

Question 10

Some people are more obedient to authority due to their values and personality traits, specifically people….

Answer 10

who value conformity and tradition as well as have high power distance

Question 11

The norm of reciprocity is a form of what power?

Answer 11

Legitimate power

Because it is an informal rule of conduct that we are expected to follow

Question 12

referent power

Answer 12

the capacity to influence others on the basis of an identification with and respect for the power holder

Question 13

How does legitimate power manifest through information control?

Answer 13

Legitimate power occurs when individuals or departments control information that others need. Information gatekeepers can influence decisions by selectively distributing information, thus framing the situation in a way that aligns with their interests or objectives.

Question 14

What is reward power and how is it used in an organization?

Answer 14

Reward power is derived from the ability to control rewards (e.g., pay, promotions, time off) and remove negative sanctions. Managers have formal control over organizational rewards, while employees can use reward power through behaviors like lending resources or providing feedback about their boss.

Question 15

What is coercive power and how is it exercised?

Answer 15

Coercive power is the ability to apply punishment. Managers use it through actions like showing disapproval or firing employees. Employees also use it through peer pressure to influence others’ behaviors, such as encouraging hygienic practices in a hospital setting.

Question 16

What is expert power, and how is it different from other forms of power?

Answer 16

Expert power comes from an individual’s knowledge or skills valued by others, rather than their organizational position. It is particularly strong in managing uncertainty and can help organizations prevent, forecast, or absorb environmental changes.

Organizations are more effective when they operate in predictable environments, so they value people who can minimize turbulence in consumer trends, societal changes, unstable supply lines, and so forth

Question 17

What are the three main coping strategies associated with expert power?

Answer 17

1. (most powerful) Prevention: Preventing environmental changes from happening (e.g., preventing financial crises).

Forecasting: Predicting environmental changes or trends (e.g., spotting emerging trends).

(least powerful) Absorption: Neutralizing the impact of changes when they occur (e.g., maintenance crews handling machine breakdowns).

Question 18

charisma

Answer 18

a set of self-presentation characteristics and nonverbal
communication behaviors (i.e. signaling) that generate interpersonal attraction and referent power over others as well as deference to the charismatic person

Question 19

Referent power is mostly a function of..

Answer 19

the persons character and interpersonal skills.

Referent power is associated with charisma

Question 20

Four important contingencies of power are

Answer 20

1. nonsubstitutability
2. Centrality
3. Visibility
4. Discretion

Question 21

How does nonsubstitutability affect power?

Answer 21

Individuals and work units have more power when their resource is nonsubstitutable. Power decreases if alternatives exist.

Strategies to increase nonsubstitutability include controlling resource access and differentiating services or expertise.

Question 22

What does centrality mean in relation to power?

Answer 22

Centrality refers to the importance of a person based on how many others depend on them and how quickly their absence would affect work. Higher centrality leads to greater power.

Question 23

How does visibility contribute to power?

Answer 23

Power increases with visibility. Employees can enhance their visibility by working on high-profile projects, interacting with senior leaders, and strategically placing themselves in noticeable workspaces.

Question 24

Why is discretion an important contingency of power?

Answer 24

Discretion is the freedom to make decisions without seeking approval. More autonomy over work increases power, while strict rules and higher authority limit it.

Question 25

What are the two types of power effects on individuals?

Answer 25

Power over oneself (Independent Power): Increases autonomy, motivation, and job satisfaction but can lead to stereotyping and reduced empathy. Power over others (Interdependent Power): Often creates responsibility for subordinates, making leaders more mindful and engaged in organizational success.

Question 26

How does power affect behavior and decision-making?

Answer 26

Power can increase efficiency and motivation but may also lead to overconfidence, reduced empathy, and reliance on stereotypes. Leaders who see power as responsibility tend to make better organizational decisions.

Question 27

social networks

Answer 27

social structures of individuals or social units that are connected to one another through one or more forms of interdependence

Question 28

social capital

Answer 28

the knowledge, opportunities, and other resources available to members of a social network, along with the mutual support, trust, reciprocity, and coordination that facilitate sharing of those resources

Question 29

guanxi

Answer 29

a Chinese term referring to an individual’s network of social connections. Guanxi is an expressive activity because interacting with family and friends reinforces one’s self-concept.

Question 30

Social networks generate power through ...

Answer 30

social capital

Question 31

Social networks enhance and maintain the power of its members through three resources:

Answer 31

1. Information. (Better information access- more powe because their expertise is not widely available) 2. Visibility (Other network members more readily think of people inside the network than of people outside the network) 3. referent power (People tend to gain referent power through networking because members of the network identify with or at least)

Question 32

Strong ties

Answer 32

Close-knit relationships, which are evident from how often we interact with people, how intensely we share resources with them and how much we experience psychological closeness to them – Valuable as they offer resources more quickly and more plentifully than are available from weak ties, and offer greater social support and greater cooperation

Question 33

Weak ties

Answer 33

Acquaintances – Valuable as they are more diverse and therefore offer resources we do not possess, and offer unique resources from each network rather than more of the same resource

Question 34

structural hole

Answer 34

a gap between two or more social networks that lack network ties

Question 35

Centrality

Answer 35

The more central, the more social capital and therefore the more power

Question 36

Betweenness centrality

Answer 36

How much a person is located between others in the network – The more brokering relationships you have, the more likely you are to get promotions and higher pay (‘bridge’)

Question 37

Degree centrality

Answer 37

The number or percentage of connections a person has to others (amount)

Question 38

Closeness centrality

Answer 38

How strong the ties between people are – Shorter, more direct and efficient paths or connections with others (proximity)

Question 39

The consequences of power

Answer 39

- feeling empowered - having power over others

Question 40

Feeling empowered

Answer 40

Feeling like you have power over yourself - Advantages: Empowerment increases motivation, job satisfaction, organisational commitment and job performance - Disadvantages: Empowerment increases automatic rather than mindful thinking, and people who feel powerful usually are more likely to rely on stereotypes, have difficulty empathising and generally have less accurate perceptions

Question 41

Having power over others

Answer 41

Advantages: Produces a sense of duty or responsibility and people who have power over others tend to be more mindful of their actions and engage in less stereotyping

Question 42

influence

Answer 42

any behavior that attempts to alter someone’s attitudes or behavior

Question 43

Influence tactics: (hard influence tactics because they force behavior change)

Answer 43

1. silent authority 2. assertiveness/vocal authority 3. Information control 4. Coalition 5. Upward appeal

Question 44

Silent authority

Answer 44

When someone complies with a request because of the requester’s legitimate power as well as the target person’s role expectations

Question 45

Assertiveness/’vocal authority

Answer 45

Actively applying legitimate and coercive power to influence others – Use of pressure and threats

Question 46

Information control

Answer 46

When the power holder distributes information selectively so it reframes the situation and causes others to change their attitudes and/or behaviour

Question 47

Coalition

Answer 47

A group that attempts to influence people outside the group by pooling the resources and power of its members 1. Coalitions pool the power and resources of many people, so it has more influence than its members have if they operated alone 2. The coalition’s mere existence can be a source of power by symbolising the legitimacy of the issue – Creates a sense that the issue deserves attention because it has broad support 3. Coalitions tap into the power of the social identity process – If the coalition has a broad-based membership then other employees are more likely to identify with that group

Question 48

Upward appeal

Answer 48

A type of influence in which someone with higher authority or expertise is called on in reality or symbolically to support the influencer’s position (E.g.: ‘The boss likely agrees with me on this matter’

Question 49

Soft influence tactics (influence tactics because they rely on personal sources of power and appeal to the target person’s attitudes and needs)

Answer 49

1. Persuasion 2. Impression management 3. Exchange

Question 50

Persuasion

Answer 50

The use of facts, logical arguments and emotional appeals to change another person’s beliefs and attitudes, usually for the purpose of changing the person’s behaviour – Depends on characteristics of the persuader, message content, communication channel and the audience People are more persuasive when listeners believe they have expertise and credibility (= when the persuader does not seem to profit from the persuasion attempt, mentions limitations with the position being persuaded and acknowledges minor positive features of the alternative choices) + Inoculation effect: Warning listeners that others will try to influence them, which leads to the generation of counterarguments

Question 51

Impression management

Answer 51

Actively shaping the perceptions and attitudes that others have of us, mostly through self-presentation (E.g.: developing a ‘personal brand’) Ingratiation : Any attempt to increase liking by, or perceived similarity to, some targeted person – Engaging in too much ingratiation are viewed as insincere and self-serving; opposite effects! → Apple polishing/brown-nosing: When people ingratiate to excess or in ways that suggest selfish motives for the ingratiation

Question 52

Exchange

Answer 52

Involves the promise of benefits or resources in exchange for the target person’s compliance with a request + Includes applying the norm of reciprocity (E.g.: negotiating with your boss for a day off in return for working a less desirable shift at a future date)

Question 53

Consequences of influence tactics

Answer 53

1. Resistance : When people or work units oppose the behaviour desired by the influencer 2. Compliance : When people are motivated to implement the influencer’s request for purely instrumental reasons – External sources to motivate the desired behaviour 3. Commitment : When people identify with the influencer’s request and are highly motivated to implement it even when extrinsic sources of motivation are not present

Question 54

People tend to react more favourably to hard/soft tactics

Answer 54

Soft influence tactics. They build commitment to the request. Hard tactics tend to produce compliance or resistance

Question 55

Organisational politics

Answer 55

The use of influence tactics for personal gain at the perceived expense of others and the organisation

Question 56

What are the consequences of organisational politics

Answer 56

Lower job satisfaction, lower organisational commitment, lower organisational citizenship, lower task performance higher levels of work-related stressand higher motivation to leave the organisation

Question 57

Individuals who are more likely to engage in organisational politics:

Answer 57

Employees with a strong need for personalised power - Machiavellianism : A personality trait of people who demonstrate a strong motivation to achieve their own goals at the expense of others, who believe that deceit is a natural and acceptable way to achieve their goals, who take pleasure in outwitting and misleading others using crude influence tactics and who have a cynical disregard for morality

Question 58

Minimising organisational politics:

Answer 58

- Providing sufficient resources - Clarifying resource allocation rules - Applying effective organisational change practices - Purging political behaviour norms and role models

Question 59

Social ties networks

Answer 59

Strong ties: Offer resources more quickly/plentifully, but less unique Weak ties: Offer unique resources, but more slowly Many ties: Information technology helps, but still a limit

Question 60

inoculation effect

Answer 60

a persuasive communication strategy of warning listeners that others will try to influence them in the future and that they should be wary of the opponent’s arguments

Question 61

Elements of Persuasion

Answer 61

Persuader Characteristics – Who is delivering the message? Message Content – What is being said? Communication Channel – How is the message delivered? Audience Characteristics – Who is receiving the message?

Question 62

Persuasion is less effective when the audience

Answer 62

* has higher self-esteem * has higher intelligence * has a self-concept tied to an opposing position