SHORT NOTES

Authority & Power

1
 AUTHORITY
Authority is the right to give orders and power to
exact obedience

It includes the right to take decisions and get them

executed from the subordinates.

The rights enjoyed by a position are not unlimited.

The extent and limits of authority of a position are
specified in advance.

Kinds of Authority
Rational- Legal authority is derived by a position holder from rules,
Legal regulations, policies, practices, and norms laid down for the
Authority systematic functioning of an organization.
This authority is derived from tradition and is not obtained by
Traditional competence. For instance, in an autocratic state, the eldest son
Authority of the king will succeed to the throne because of the age-old
tradition.
Obedience is based on the follower’s belief that the leader has
Charismatic
some special or exceptional power. Charismatic leaders are
Authority
usually found in religion and politics.

Sources of Authority

The Formal The Acceptance The Competence

Authority Theory Theory Theory

Authority is which
Authority
is accepted by An individual
originates at the
others. Authority derives authority
top of the
has no meaning because of his/her
organization and
unless it is personal
flows downward
accepted by the competence.
through delegation
other person. 2
 POWER

It is the capacity to exert influence

over others.

If a person has power, it means that

he can influence the behavior of other
individuals.

The essence of power is control over

the behavior of others.

Sources of Power

Coercive Power

Legitimate Power

Expert Power

Referent Power

It is based on the influencer's ability to punish the other

Coercive Power
person for not obeying orders.
It is based on formal rights one perceives as a result of
Legitimate
holding a position in an organization. It is also called as
Power
positional power.
It is based on special expertise or knowledge of the
Expert Power
influencer.
It develops out of others’ admiration for a person and
Referent Power their desire to model their attitudes and behavior after
that person.

3
 Tactics to Gain Power

Creating
and Bargaining
Competiti Co-
Managing Coalition or trade
on optation
Uncertain off
ties

Creating and Person who can create a fiction of uncertainties and steer
managing the organization into areas of uncertainties that the person
Uncertainties can manage, will gain power.
Many groups compete for limited resources in an
Competition organization and try to influence others by winning in the
competition and getting hold of those resources.
Whenever there is a threat from group B, group A includes
key people of group B in important positions or policy
Co-optation
making committees in order to remove criticism and threat
emanating from group B.
A temporary alliance to combine efforts and deal with a
Coalition
bigger threat is called coalition.
It is a quid pro quo (this for that) agreement between 2 or
Bargaining or
more parties. The party with greater bargaining power is
Trade off
able to get more benefits for less sacrifices.