Debates on organizational power and politics Health, Medicine Essay

Debates on Organizational Power and Politics
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Debates on Organizational Power and Politics
There are five sources of power that are often seen in organizations; legitimate power, coercive power, referent power, reward power, and expert power (Lunenburg, 2012). According to the author, legitimate power refers to one’s ability to influence the behavior of other people because of the position he or she holds in an organization. Therefore, in this case, an individual’s formal authority in the organization grants him or her a legitimate power. Coercive power refers to the ability of an individual to influence other people’s behavior through punishment. For example, employees in an organization may follow a manager’s orders for the fear of being punished. Referent power refers to the ability of an individual to influence the behaviors of other people because they respect, like, or admire him or her (Lunenburg, 2012). Celebrities often have this power. Reward power is the ability of a person to influence other people’s behavior by offering the things they want to receive. Examples include raises, recognition, and favorable work assignments. Finally, expert power refers to the ability of a person to influence the behaviors of other people because of the skills and knowledge pos...