answer18

Is Power Productive? Can power be used to further organizational aims? Defend your answer.

If used reasonably, power can be a useful methodology for furthering organizational aims.

The different kinds of power, grouped into personal (expert, referent) and granted (legitimate, coercive, reward) powers, allow individuals to get others to follow directives, be productive, exchange wants for needs, follow guidance, or fall in line.

Expert power, where a person may hold key information about a system or procedure, can be used as a way of leveraging with someone who benefits from that knowledge. A system administrator, for instance, can often do things that no one else knows how to do (or is not allowed to do) in the system. If an organizational aim is to use the system in order to further the goals of the organization, the system administrator can use her powers to smooth that process and follow it to completion.

In a case of referent power, a person may hold sway over others due to the positive feelings and associations the others have for them. The referent power holder may suggest or act in a certain way and have the others respond to it positively simply due to referent power. If a referent power holder suggests that organizational aims are important to commit to for the people under their power, they may be highly motivated to help in achieving those aims.