In The First Part I Want To Discuss Dif

In the first part I want to discuss different aspects of power in organizations. “Power is defined as the ability to get someone to do something you want done or the ability to make things happen in the way you want them”. (Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn). Throughout history, human beings have been fascinated by power. In the earlier periods power is prescribed by the structure of the organization. Without reference to the works of Marx (1967) and Weber (1978) it is hard to make sense of organizational power. Power is conceptualized broadly within a system-rational model of organizational structure. Decision making and concomitant exercising of power (logical, optimal and adaptive response) bring changes in the organization and we can say that ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ is an example of a movie which is unapologetically or maybe semi-apologetically fascinated with power of Miranda. Power is important within the organizations and moreover for the management to influence individuals to make things happen. ‘Power is to organization as oxygen as to breathing’ (Bernard Crick 1982). All organizations require power but all power don’t require organization. We cannot make serious enquiry in to the organization without an enquiry of power. Main conception of power is concentrated on Weber’s (1947) classic definition that “power is the probability that a person can carry out his or her own will despite resistance”. The concept of power is often expressed in the literature by the words ‘the ability to …’ as by Salancik and Pfeffer (1977) and ‘the ability to bring about outcomes you desire’ (Power politics and organizations: Andrew Kakabadse and Christopher Parker,P 22). There are four dimensions of power such as behavioural view (Dahl), political view (Bacharach and Baratz), radical structural view (Lukes) and relational approach (Foucault). (Management & Organization, Linstead and Fulop ,2nd Edition P 282). Great men are almost always not good men as they exercise influence and authority. As example in the film “Devil Wears Prada” we have seen how Miranda has treated her assistant Andy. In organizations, power is considered to derive from numerous sources. French and Raven (1959) identified five sources of power such as coercive power, reward power, exert power, legitimate or position power and referent power. Etizoni has classified power as coercive power, utilitarian power and normative power. Robbins (1984) has discussed the comparisons between the sources of power and the means to exert influence that refers to ‘bases of power’.
Blau(1964): “Power is the ability of persons as groups to impose their will on others despite resistance through deterrence either in the form of withholding regularly supplied rewards or in the form of punishment inasmuch as the former, as well as the latter, constitutes in effect negative sanction”.
The definition by Parsons (1956) is an interactive formulation but within a structural framework:
“Power we may define as the realistic capacity of system-unit to actualize its interests within the context of system–interaction and in this sense exert influence on processes in the system”.
Organizations should have formal and informal rules for coordinating actions of different people. People of diverse background, particular interests and different understandings abide by these rules. A famous thought by Lord Acton: “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you super add the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority” (Lord Acton, 5 April 1987 to Bishop Mandell Creighton). The pluralists (Dahl1957, Wolfinger1971) claimed that power was equitably distributed around the society and no particular group had undue influence over decision making processes. The elitists (Bachrach and Baratz, 1962, Hunter1953, Mills1956) argued that power was concentrated in the hands of privileged few who controlled political agendas. “The term ‘power’ takes on different meanings when the unit or power holder is a formal group in an open system with multiple goals and the system is assumed to reflect a political-domination model of organization rather than only a co-operative model”(Perrow 1970,P 84). In the film “The Devil Wears Prada” Miranda occasionally takes time from Andy’s daily routine and spreading fear and anxiety in her mind wherever she goes. In a scene Miranda tells Andy that ‘I am your Master, you are dying to be like me’, that is what Master (Miranda) never should say. This is all about her organizational power.

COMMUNICATION
1 At the beginning of the movie, Andy laughs and shows Miranda no sense of fashion when Miranda offers suggestions what the models should wear. This is absolutely unprofessional when communicating with the boss. What kind of expression you should have in front of your boss are dependent on your boss’s mood, time and situation you and your boss are in.

2 When communicating with your boss, it is not a good idea to show too much emotion. If you hear your boss making statements that you find upsetting, listen and nod your head. Keep calm. Be sure not to raise your voice or frequently interrupt, as both actions give an impression that you are not in control of your emotions. Andy, as an assistant who get used to her boss’s style is a very good example here. Miranda is the person who quickly tells her assistant everything and won’t say it a second time. So every time Miranda gives Andy orders, Andy listens and follows with full concentration and always takes them down on notebook. Finally quietly make her points when there comes a break.

3 Your boss is not an animal. She/he has emotions too. So when communicating with your boss, you’d better show your understanding. Andy is a very good example. When Miranda talks about her divorce, showing her fragile side to Andy, Andy shows her goodwill and offers Miranda an open heart. She also actively asks Miranda what she could do for her, which shows she is a very kind person no matter in work or in private life.

4 Show your boss your confidence and profession: In the movie, Miranda always gives Andy impossible missions, like asking her the unpublished Harry Potter manuscript in 4 hours. Andy manages to get the manuscript and copies it into three copies with covers in the stipulated time. And she smiles to Miranda with confidence. So from Andy we can learn that when having a seemingly impossible mission from the boss, try to figure out a solution and what the boss wants. Finish this mission with your profession and...

MOTIVATION
In this part I want to focus on motivation and discuss the relation between motivation and organization. Motivation is an essential part in organizations, both for the individual and for the organization as a whole. Motivational state or condition of a person has an impact or influence upon both behaviour and performance. “Motivation to work is of great importance to us since we spend a lot of our time working in organizations” (Michael W.Drafke and Stan Kossen., The Human Side of Organizations, Massachusetts: Addison/Wesley,1998,p.2-12). Pffefer (1981) has suggested that major characteristic often accompanying political behaviour is the attempt to conceal its true motivation. True motive was concealed because the actor believed that it was unacceptable. Motivation is equal important for manager and employee. In 1970 David McClelland and David Burnham published an article in Harvard Business Review called “Power is the great Motivator”. This article directly focused on manager’s motivation.

“A good manager is one who, among other things, helps subordinates feel strong and responsible, rewards them properly for good performance and sees that things are organised so that subordinates feel they know what they should be doing”(McClelland,2003,P-109).
In the film “Devil Wears Prada” Andy has motivated herself in different ways to be familiar with the new job environment in spite of rude behaviour of her boss Miranda. Recently the boundaries have widened and work and private life is much more connected to each other than past. In the past when one left his workplace, the person had less obligations or responsibility against the company (Karl Weick., Making sense of the Organization,Malden: Blackwell Publishing, 2006,P 207-210). Then Karl Marx stated that “Freedom begins at the gates of the factory” (Robert Tucker,The Marx-Engels reader,NewYork Norton,1978, P-440). ‘Today people often bring their work home as well as colleagues socialize outside work’ (Weick). If employees are not motivated, no one would make an effort to work and company’s performance would be less efficient. Vroom (1964) has developed expectancy theory from the original work of Tolman and Honzik(1930) and produced a systematic explanatory theory of workplace motivation. It claimed that “the motivation to behave in a particular way is determined by an individual’s expectation that behaviour will lead to a particular outcome, multiplied by the preference or valence that person has for that out-come”. Vroom has argued that human behaviour is controlled by ‘subjective probability’. The equation is ‘Motivation (M) = Expectation (E) * Valence (V)’. Abraham Maslow’s (1943, 1954) theory of motivation was the first theory to be applied to the world of work. He proposed that human beings have five needs (Self-Actualisation, Esteem, Social, Safety, and Physiological) and when these are not satisfied they provide the drive to act and set up the motivating mechanism. The most significance and potential value to managers attempting to understand the motivation in the workplace is the work of McClelland’s (1961) achievement theory. Herzberg’s (1968) two-factor theory on intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors affect what individuals perceive as the value or valance of particular outcomes which will influence both their performance and job satisfaction. Communication between employees and managers within the organization is an essential and vital ingredient of motivation. Employees are motivated by recognition and constructive feedback from their manager. Motivation is a complex, dynamic and culture based concept so there is no one universal theory which is applicable to motivation.
The Devil Wears Prada is a book that contains many ethical dilemmas. I will first summarize the plot, and then point out the ethical problems.
The main character, Andrea, is hired at Runway, a very well-known, well-established magazine company. She was hired to take Emily’s spot, and Emily was promoted to the position above her. The two jobs are very similar but the main difference is that Emily gets to go to Paris for a major fashion banquet with their boss, Miranda. Emily often speaks of the future trip to Paris, and tells Andrea how excited she is about it. Andrea is not the typical stereotype of someone who works at Runway; skinny and stylish. Andrea has no sense of style and no interest in fashion, and only took the job in hopes of it leading to a journalism opportunity. Andrea’s boss, Miranda, is demanding, rude, and heartless. She often calls Andrea after hours to demand something to be done. This job completely transforms Andrea from her down to earth self, to someone that her friends and boyfriend don’t even recognize. She becomes “one of them,” they say. She starts to only care about fashion and her relationships with her close ones start to suffer. After promising her boyfriend a party for his birthday, she doesn’t show up till he is already getting ready for bed.

Miranda treats Andrea and Emily, and most of the people she encounters, with total disrespect. She orders them around, and makes them feel guilty if they don’t do something to her strict approval. She doesn’t praise them for their good work, and almost always finds something negative to say. She tells Andrea that she is fat, and has no style. Miranda’s rudeness is very unethical.

Miranda demands that Andrea gets the unreleased Harry Potter book for her twin daughters because “they want to know what happens next.” She tells Andrea that if she doesn’t get it by that afternoon, to not even come back to work. Frantically, Andrea calls and calls every publisher in the contact list, and...

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Clegg “CHAPTER 5 ‘Managing Power And Politics in Organizations’, Resistance, Empowerment, Ethics” (P 151-190).
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References: Cavanagh G F., Moberg D J.,Velasquez M. “The Ethics of Organizational Politics”, The Academy of Management Review, Jul 01, 1981; Vol. 6, N. 3, p. 363-374. Ferris,G.R,Davidson,S.l, and PerreweP.L (2005), “political skill at work”, Mountain view. Jackson, N & Carter, P (2007). “Rethinking Organizational Behaviour: A Poststructuralist Framework”, Pearson Education. Julieta Dávila, Samuel Hernández, Vicente Peralta “Organizational Conflict, Power and Politics” (June 2004). Kacmer,K.M. Carlson,D.S(1997), “A multiple sample investigation Journal of Management”.