TOPIC 7: Power and Conflict i. Which power bases lie with the individual? Which are derived from the organisation?
Expert and Referent power base lie with the individual. Expert power influence based on special skills or knowledge. Because the specialisation of jobs becomes more and more popular, we become increasingly dependent on experts to achieve goals. Referent power influence based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits. Referent power develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person. For example, If I like, respect and admire you, you can exercise power over me because I want to please you.
Coercive and Reward and Legitimate power are the power derived from the organisation. Coercive power is the power base that is dependent on fear. In other words, The coercive power base depends on fear of the negative results from failing to comply. Coercive power can also come from withholding key information. Reward power is the opposite power of coercive power. Reward power is the compliance achieved based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable. Legitimate power is the power a person receives as a result of his or her position in the formal hierarchy of an organisation. It includes members’ acceptance of the authority of a position.

ii. Write a 200 word summary of the argument in the article by Politis.
This paper examines the relationship between credibility, the dimensions of power and a number of knowledge acquisition attributes. There are three major findings in this research. First, the relationship between expert power and the knowledge acquisition attributes of personal traits, control and negotiation is positive and significant. Second, the constructs of coercive and referent power are likely to have a negative influence on employees’ knowledge acquisition and