Page 320 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR

Unit 15: Power and Politics

Notes
Figure 15.2: Steps toward Addiction to Power

Use of Power because it is Available

Perception of Control Over Others,
Forgetting Interdependencies

Self-Image as Worthy of Control

Belief That Your Use of Power is
Justified and Necessary

Source: Patrick M. Wright and Raymond A Noe, "Management of Organisations", Irwin McGraw-Hill,
Boston (1996) Page 663.
2. Empowerment: Jay Conger defines empowerment as "creating conditions for heightened
motivation through the development of a strong sense of personal self-efficacy". This
means sharing power in such a way that individuals learn to believe in their ability to do
the job. When people share power in this way, they may empower others—that is, transfer
power to them. Empowerment is easy to advocate but difficult to put into practice. Conger
offers some guidelines:
(a) Managers should express confidence in employees and set high performance
expectations.
(b) Managers should create opportunities for employees to participate in decision
making.
(c) Managers should remove bureaucratic constraints that stifle autonomy.
(d) Managers should set inspirational or meaningful goals.

Case Study Enriching and Empowering Employees

he Saturn Corporation of Spring Hill, Tennessee, is a subsidiary of General Motors
that is as renowned for the way it produces cars as it is for the cars it produces.
TAt Saturn, all work is accomplished by work units, consisting of about 15 team
members and a work unit counselor. The counselors have some management functions
like managing daily production, managing conflicts, and monitoring budget, quality, and
safety issues. However, the work unit makes decisions by consensus, and the counselor is
more of an executor working for the unit than a manager working for upper management.
Contd...

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