Page 135 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR

Management Practices and Organisational Behaviour

Notes

Task Match the following:

Column A Column B
Charismatic People are willing to accept the legitimacy of the authority of others
because it is derived from formal rules and laws
Traditional People are willing to accept the legitimacy of the authority of others
because of historical precedent
Rational legal can be said to have traditional authority
Hitler, Gandi and Jesus can be said to have had charismatic authority
Tony Blair can be said to have rational legal authority
Queen Elizabeth II People are willing to accept the legtimacy of the authority of others
because of their special personal qualities

6.2.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Authority

Like everything else, authority also has its advantages and disadvantages. Let us look at them
one by one.

Advantages

1. Authority fits with a superior's needs.
2. Work is processed in an orderly and consistent manner, throughout the organisation.
3. Authority might bring out discipline among people working at various levels.
4. Authority might be used to get things done quickly, especially when work is not
progressing as per expectations.

Disadvantages

1. Authority implies resistance if not exercised properly.
2. Authority may not be used in a right way. It might be used to suit personal needs.
3. Authority alone may not get results. Much depends on the competence of the person
exercising authority.
4. Indiscriminate use of authority might prove to be disastrous for the entire organisation.
5. When authority is used as a 'whip', people tend to ignore/discount/depreciate the person
using the same.

6.3 Power

German sociologist, Max Weber defined power as "the probability that one actor within a social
relationship will be in a position to carry out his own will despite resistance." Along similar
lines, Emerson suggests that "The power of actor A over actor B is the amount of resistance on the
part of B which can be potentially overcome by A." Power appears to involve one person
changing the behavior of one or more other individuals – particularly if that behavior would
not have taken place otherwise.

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