...The Five Bases of Power BCOM/230 The Five Bases of Power “Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes. This definition implies a potential that need not be actualized to be effective, and a dependency relationship.” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, "A Definition of Power"). In total, there are five bases of power. They are coercive power, reward power, legitimate power, expert power, and referent power. Each power is different in some way which makes it unique. “The coercive power base is dependent on fear. A person reacts to this power out of fear of the negative results that might occur if she failed to comply. It rests on the application, or the threat of application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs.” (Robbins & Judge, 2009, "Bases of Power"). Coercive power exists when people are frightened of what could happen to them if they do not give into the leader’s wishes. An extreme example of coercive power would be Hitler’s power in Germany when he ruled the country. He put true fear into people that did not agree with him, this made him gain followers whether those followers were really in agreement with him or not. “The opposite of coercive power is reward power. People comply with the wishes or directives of another because doing so produces positive...
Words: 1097 - Pages: 5
...Organizational Behavior & Leadership Five Bases of Power – Task 3 Tammy Lydeen Western Governors University January 21, 2011 Within an organization leaders and managers use their power in order for their employees to reach the organization’s goals. There are five bases of power which can be broken down into two groups: formal power and personal power. Along with the five bases of power there is also the power of dependency which states that Employee B depends on Employee A if Employee B has goals and needs that Employee A can fulfill. Dependency can be increased when the resources that are being controlled are important, scarce and non-substitutable. Formal Power A formal power is based on an employee’s position within the organization. v Coercive Power – A coercive power requires forcing an employee to do something that they do no want to do. This power can cause an unhealthy behavior and employee dissatisfaction in the workplace. The most common threat is the threat of being demoted or fired. Although the most common threats are being demoted or fired the marketing manager also uses a coercive power when they tell the employees that their yearly evaluation and bonus can be effected if they do not work over the required 40-hour work week. Employee 1 needs to work the extra hours so that they can achieve the yearly bonus and take a vacation that would not be affordable without the end of the year bonus. v Reward Power – A reward power is when the leader uses...
Words: 797 - Pages: 4
...known as the five bases of power. These bases of power were the foundation for many of the discussions involving power and authority in the late half of the 20th century. The five bases of power are coercive, legitimate, reward, referent, and expert. The bases can be utilized by themselves or combined with another base when demonstrating power in any situation. This article will explore each of the five bases and describe them more in depth, including formality and informality of the bases. Coercive power, one of the first bases of power, carries with it a manifestation of fear based on the possible negative outcomes of this power and if the subject did not comply with the orders given. Coercive power is the power that comes from a person's authority to punish. This formal base of power is effective in the short term only; and in contrast more often leads to rebellion against authority rather than respect and compliance based on respect. A manager could use coercive power in an instance where an employee was failing to perform his job correctly or efficiently, by threatening the employee with disciplinary action if the issue is not rectified. This base of power creates a general feeling of fear and uneasiness among employees and can be detrimental to the morale of the employees and the company. When employees share a general consensus that a manager or supervisor has a right to give out orders because of this job title and company position this formal base of power is referred...
Words: 872 - Pages: 4
...Power is defined as a capacity that one person (or group) has to influence the behavior of another person (or group) so that the second person acts according to how the first person wants. There are two general sources of power, formal and personal; those sources of power can be broken down into different bases of power. Formal power can be coercive power, reward power, or legitimate power; personal power can be expert power or referent power (Robbins & Judge, 2009). Each form of power will be discussed on an individual basis to determine how the power affects communications within an organization. Formal power is based on an individual’s position within an organization; the individual gains power through the ability to coerce or reward, or from formal authority. “Coercive power is dependent on fear, suppression of free will, or the use of punishment for existence” (“Coercive power,” 2012). Others in an organization also use coercive power by withholding important information; knowing this important information has others dependent on them. As an employee, I feared losing my job when I was not moving as fast as my manager wanted me to during lunch rush. My manager had told me previously that I was not fast enough at assembling sandwiches as others; I was told frequently that this was a cause to be fired if I did not improve my speed. I did not let that manager have coercive power over me for long; I had another employee help me learn ways to speed up my sandwich making...
Words: 1094 - Pages: 5
...The Five Bases of Power Julie Kisman BCOM/230 April 20, 2015 Gloria Davis The Five Bases of Power All too often, we are stuck in a working environment the majority of our day, years, and lives, of people who have different personalities and governing styles than we do. “Power means many different things to different people. For some, power is seen as corrupt. For others, the more power they have, the more successful they feel. For even others, power is of no interest at all (Abudi, 2013).” If we can learn to recognize our superiors leadership styles that will put us so much closer to developing a better working relationship with that person. Let’s review these forms of power with real working experience in each and be that much closer to identifying with our employer. Formal Power Coercive Power Coercive Power is a leadership style that is dependent on fear. Scheduling is a very real example of coercive power in my place of work. The law states, that if you fall below 20 hours in a working week, you will be removed from the schedule until you can prove your availability. Robots do not write schedules, or individual employees, but rather an actual human, with human emotions. Say you have a disagreement with a schedule writer, or hurt their feelings, they, unfortunately, have the power to reduce your hours, eventually having you removed from the schedule entirely. In this situation, the department head who is writing the schedule, is using their coercive power...
Words: 807 - Pages: 4
...Five Bases of Power Reward Power -the ability of a manager to give some sort of reward to employees Employee 1, work ethics shows that she is driven, loyal, focused and goal oriented. She understands the concept of reward power since she has worked there for 12 years and her hard work has earned her a yearly bonus. Coercive Power - the ability of a manager to force an employee to comply with an order (directly or inadvertently) through the threat of punishment or penalty. The Marketing Manager encourages employees to work more than forty hours per week. He reminds the employees that if they work more hours they could receive a superior evaluation and a yearly bonus. This is coercive behavior because in order for them to receive a bonus, they must have a superior evaluation, which requires them to work more than 40 hours per week. Since most Real Estate Agents are commissioned employees, many of them have second jobs or family commitments that will not allow them to work more than forty hours. In addition, some employees maybe more successful working 30 hours as opposed to another who works 50 hours a week, however, according to the Marketing Manager the employee who worked fewer than 40 hours wouldn’t receive a superior evaluation or a bonus. The Marketing Manager is utilizing coercive power by asking the employees to do more for the company in order to receive a bonus. Expertise Power - Ability to influence others based on expertise and knowledge As the CPA of...
Words: 450 - Pages: 2
...Influencing Group Communication According to Wikipedia, power is a measurement of an entity’s ability to control its environment, including the behavior of other entities. Frequently power is seen as evil or unjust, but the exercise of power itself is accepted as endemic to humans as social beings. In 1959 a study of power was conducted by psychologists John French and Bertam Raven, and at this time power was divided into five separate and distinctive forms. Because leadership and power are closely linked to one another, it was shown how different forms of power directly affected one’s leadership and success. This idea is used most commonly with organizational communication and also throughout most of the workforce itself. The five bases of power that were derived from this idea are coercive power, reward power, expert power, legitimate power, and referent power. Each of these bases of power show different forms that an individual can use or does already use to communicate and ultimately receive what is desired. Out of the five bases of power, three of these bases are classified as formal powers. Formal powers are generally derived by accepted standards and do not have a casual side to them. These three powers are coercive, reward, and legitimate. Coercive power is based upon the idea of coercion; it involves forcing someone to do something he or she does not want to do. This power can be challenging to use because it typically has a negative impact, which can lead to lower...
Words: 882 - Pages: 4
...describe the five bases of power and will identify which power bases are formal and which is personal to help explain how power bases affect communication in an organization. Working in any organization, a person may experience at some time or another, either one or all of the five bases of power, which fall under the heading of Formal Power and/or Personal Power. Formal Power is comprised of three main bases; Coercive Power, Reward Power and Legitimate Power and is based on the individual’s position and the level of authority related to that position (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p.452). An example would be the General Manager of a company having the full authority to make important operational decisions. Personal Power, on the other hand, consists of two main bases of power; Expert Power; base on an individual’s skill and expertise and Referent Power which is influenced based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits. (Robbins & Judge, 2009, p.453). For a better understand how the five bases of power affect communication in the workplace, this paper will define each base separately. Coercive Power is a formal base of power, which relies mainly on fear. Managers and/or supervisors can use this type of power in the workplace, by threatening poor performance reviews, demotion, and reduction in working hours or in some cases termination. In an economic downturn with millions of unemployed individuals, this type of power can be an effective...
Words: 726 - Pages: 3
...Bases of Power Within a Company: Apple Incorporated Gena Baker-Smith Phoenix University Abstract This paper will outline and describe the bases of power within an organization. I will point out which powers are formal and ones that are personal. The five types of power are coercive, legitimate, referent, reward, and expert. These “Bases of Power” have been used since they were established in 1959 by two sociologists. There will also be a summary as to how these different types of powers are communicated within a company/organization. In Apple Incorporation, I am sure all five of the types of powers are present within the company. I hope to present you the reader of this paper how they are communicated throughout the company. When one thinks of power they think about having the ability to change things or the way people think or act. Some of these changes can be positive and some can be negative depending on the person and the situation at hand (Merchant 2010). In 1959, American sociologists John French and Bertram Raven established “The Bases of Power” that exist within companies (Merchant 2010). The five types of powers are legitimate, coercive, referent, reward, and expert; some of these are formal and others are personal (Merchant, 2010). According to referenceforbusiness.com, the bases of power are methods that managers and leaders of an organization utilize to influence their employees. Also stated on referenceforbusiness.com authority must be a factor...
Words: 1098 - Pages: 5
...someone has over another is known as power. Power can be good or bad depending on how it is used. If power is used wisely it can help an organization. Used poorly, however, power can be detrimental to those involved. There are five bases of power and all are seen in the given scenario. These five bases can be divided into two main forms of power. The first form of power “is based on an individual’s position in an organization” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 471), this is also known as formal power. This form of power encompasses three of our five bases of power. The first that is included is a fear based power known as coercive power. The second is based on rewards and acknowledgement and is known as reward power. The final base covered in the first group is legitimate power. Legitimate power is created by a specific title or position within an organization. The second form of power is personal power, and encompasses the remaining two bases of power. The first base of power covered under personal power is expert power. Having skills or knowledge that someone else does not is expert power. The last base of power is referent power. “Referent power develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person,” (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p. 472). All individuals possess a degree of personal power. As mentioned previously, all five bases of power are represented within the given scenario. Coercive power, the first base of power, is presented by the marketing manager...
Words: 1355 - Pages: 6
...LET1: Leadership Concepts and Applications SUBDOMAIN 317.1 - ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & LEADERSHIP Competency 317.1.5: Leadership - The graduate can analyze leadership theories, methods, and tools in given situations and select the appropriate behavior of the leader. Objective 317.1.5-10: Identify the five bases or sources of power within a given organization. Objective 317.1.5-11: Define the relationship between power and dependency in an organizational setting. [pic] Introduction: Corporation A was founded in 1989 and focuses on creating marketing programs for the real estate industry. The corporate mission of Corporation A is to help clients improve their real estate sales. The Corporation A team is comprised of professionals with varied backgrounds and experience levels. The company prides itself on fostering a team environment throughout the organization. Given: Employee 1 has worked in the marketing department at Corporation A for 12 years. In the marketing department, employees who earn a superior rating on their yearly performance evaluation receive a large bonus at the end of the year. Employee 1 often comes into the office on weekends or stays late to ensure the work is complete and accurate. The marketing manager encourages employees to work beyond the requisite 40 hours a week by reminding them of the yearly bonus for receiving a superior rating on their next evaluation. Employee 1 is planning to use the bonus for a well-deserved vacation that would be...
Words: 2117 - Pages: 9
...POWER BASE TERM PAPER Yusuf, Abdulkadir-633417 | BUS4070 | 24/07/2017 Contents Introduction....................................................................................................................................2 Legitimate Power............................................................................................................................5 REWARD POWER........................................................................................................................7 Coercive power..............................................................................................................................9 Expert power.................................................................................................................................11...
Words: 1061 - Pages: 5
...The Effect of French and Raven Power on knowledge Acquisition, Knowledge Creation and knowledge Sharing: An Empirical Investigation in Lebanese Organizations Dr. Silva Karkoulian, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon Miss Yasmina Osman, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon ABSTRACT It has been documented that not much is known about the kinds of French and Raven powers that foster the acquisition, creation and sharing of organizational knowledge. This study extends the French and Raven power literature to the Lebanese Organizations and provides an empirical evidence of knowledge acquisition, knowledge creation and knowledge sharing. Results from the regression analysis of this study show that expert power is positively and significantly associated with knowledge acquisition, knowledge creation and knowledge sharing. INTRODUCTION In the second half of the twentieth century, knowledge management proved to be a new managerial reform suited to the rapidly changing environment. Managers were encouraged to consider and treat their employee’s knowledge as a crucial source for the success of their organizations (Huseman and Goodman, 1999; Stewart, 1997; Sveiby, 1997). Many scholars have focused their attention on knowledge management. Grant (1996) argues that a source of organization’s competitive advantage is when organizations apply a great deal of effort to develop new knowledge and technology. This new knowledge and technology...
Words: 3350 - Pages: 14
...Sources of Power by Roberta D. Harris An Assignment Submitted to the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Economics in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course of Management 5670 Webster University 2013 Abstract One of the highest concerns about power is its effects on those who use it. The more people use power, the more they tend to notice situations in terms of power relationships, the more they are motivated to use power for their own personal end result. This risk in this use of power is stated in the statement “Power tends to corrupt; and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” (Lynch, 1985) Plato was convinced that power would continue to corrupt unless philosophers became rulers and rulers were philosophers. The five bases of power defined by French and Raven denote the classical reason why one person influences others as well as the foundation for most research on power. Recently, other sources of power have been defined, explaining other sources of influence. I discussed the five indicators for accessing power and identified the five sources of social power which includes reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, referent power and expert power. (Frenche & Raven, 1968) Additionally, I discussed other sources of power such as information power, persuasiveness, charisma, and social versus personal power. Keywords: power, indicators, reward, coercive, legitimate, referent,...
Words: 2234 - Pages: 9
...Basis of Power Brian R. Gates BCOM 230 November 14, 2011 Katalin Ogle Power—in a business environment—is defined as the potential for one individual to exercise influence over another individual. That potential may never be realized, but for an individual to possess power one can infer that other individuals are dependent upon the person who holds the power. Power can be derived from two basic sources: personal and formal. There are five bases of power that exist, and the base of the power ultimately affects how people react to that power. Formal Power Formal power stems from an individual’s place in the hierarchy of an organization, and includes three bases of power: coercive power, reward power, and legitimate power. Coercive power results from the potential negative impact upon the dependent individual from the person holding power. Reward power is the exact opposite—with the power derived from the ability of the individual holding power to positively impact the dependent person. These two bases of power very often occur simultaneously. If a manager tells a subordinate to perform a certain action, there are potential outcomes derived from each of these power bases. If the subordinate successfully performs the action, the manager could give the subordinate a bonus, a raise, or a better position within the organization (reward power). If the subordinate does not successfully execute the directive, the manager can demote the subordinate or withhold bonuses...
Words: 961 - Pages: 4
