Understanding the Role of Power in Decision Making
Understanding the Role of Power in Decision Making
By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
Summarized By: Brian Kelly
In this article, Pfeffer presents four models of organizational decision making. Before he does so he attempts to clarify the definitions the following concepts:
Power
- Power means a lot of different things to different people and is ancient and ubiquitous.
- Power is characterized by the relationships among social actors, in other words. Power is relative.
- The exercise of power requires costs and energy to perform.
- When accessing power we must be able to estimate
♣ A- What would happen in the absence of the exercise of power
♣ B- The intentions of the actor exercising this power
♣ C- The effects of the actions taken are likely to occur.
Authority
- Authority is legitimated power.
- The exercise of authority is expected and desired, and failure to exercise authority may result in punishment.
- Exercise of authority may actually enhance the amount of authority someone possesses
Organizational Politics
- “Organizational politics involves those activities taken within organizations to acquire, develop, and use power and other resources to obtain ones’s preferred outcomes in a situation in which there is uncertainly or dissensus about choices.”
- Political activity is activity which is undertaken to overcome some resistance or opposition.
Pfeffer then examines the role power places in Organization Theory Literature.
- Power is not often referenced in textbooks and when it is, it is a very short definition. These definitions emphasize the presents of individual bases of power or the need for power. Power is left out of management and organization literature because it is incompatible with discussions on ideology and values.
By: Jeffrey Pfeffer
Summarized By: Brian Kelly
In this article, Pfeffer presents four models of organizational decision making. Before he does so he attempts to clarify the definitions the following concepts:
Power
- Power means a lot of different things to different people and is ancient and ubiquitous.
- Power is characterized by the relationships among social actors, in other words. Power is relative.
- The exercise of power requires costs and energy to perform.
- When accessing power we must be able to estimate
♣ A- What would happen in the absence of the exercise of power
♣ B- The intentions of the actor exercising this power
♣ C- The effects of the actions taken are likely to occur.
Authority
- Authority is legitimated power.
- The exercise of authority is expected and desired, and failure to exercise authority may result in punishment.
- Exercise of authority may actually enhance the amount of authority someone possesses
Organizational Politics
- “Organizational politics involves those activities taken within organizations to acquire, develop, and use power and other resources to obtain ones’s preferred outcomes in a situation in which there is uncertainly or dissensus about choices.”
- Political activity is activity which is undertaken to overcome some resistance or opposition.
Pfeffer then examines the role power places in Organization Theory Literature.
- Power is not often referenced in textbooks and when it is, it is a very short definition. These definitions emphasize the presents of individual bases of power or the need for power. Power is left out of management and organization literature because it is incompatible with discussions on ideology and values.