Reference no: EM13340958

What do you think? please give me the answer in positive way like I do agree.....
1.1) Reward: The person with this power has the ability to control the reward another person wants, whether that is in the form of bonus, promotion, or salary increase. This method is effective as long as there is a strong correlation between reward and the behavior. Management should be clear about the expectations to receive the reward in order for this method to continue to be effective.

2) Coercive: Coercive is the ability to control negative consequences to influence behavior. Managers exhibiting this behavior are threatening, withholding rewards, and can be condescending.

3) Legitimate: In this case, both parties agree to the power being placed with one individual. Because of the mutual consensus, it will not matter if the manager merely thinks he or she has power because the employee has already agreed to it. This can be viewed with elected officials, parents, or even professors or doctors.

4) Referent: In this instance, one person wants to be like the other. Much like a boy wanting to be like his father or a kid wanting to be like his coach. This type does not involve coercion or any negative means and the person with power is often very charismatic.

5) Expert: Expert power is one with the expertise, and requires three aspects: 1) knowledge must be accurate, 2) knowledge must be relevant, and 3) the person must view the person as an expert.

To understand these, I think about the movie Inception, where the most natural and positive experience has the strongest effect. Reward and coercive have about the same effect. Legitimate power illicits compliance but does not improve the effectiveness of the organization or happiness of the employees. Referent is considered one of the most dangerous since its effects are rather intense and extensive. Expert power seems to be ultimate choice because it is the strongest and brings effectiveness and satisfaction along with it.

Information power is access and control over information. Use of this is critical to an organization since it goes beyond what is legal and must be utilized ethically.
2.The Symbols of Power as identified by Kanter are:
Ability to intercede for someone in trouble - is an individual with the knowledge and skills in using their power and connections to pull someone out of a bad situation.
Ability to get favored employees placed in a position - the ability to get someone promoted or hired into a position are examples of this power.
Ability to exceed budget limitations - if the person has the ability to exceed set budget limitations without being punished has symbol power.
Procuring above-average wages for their employees - if the person has the ability to provide salary increases above the standard or normal amount, is said to have authority or pull in the organization.
Getting items on the agenda in meetings - the ability to get items on agendas of meetings, is a sign of power. The higher level of the meeting participants or the influence of the group that the person can get
items on an agenda shows different levels of symbol power.
Access to information early - shows a person is trusted or well-connected in an organization.
Having managers seek their opinion - shows that the manager is respected for their knowledge or have status in the organization.
Symptoms of powerlessness are exhibited differently by people in different levels and departments of the organization.
Supervisors may micromanage their employees, where people at higher levels in the organization may resist change or actually stop change. Focusing too much on budgets and financial results rather than on empowering a group of employees is a sign of powerless in higher levels of the organization.
3.Although the question does not require it, I think a brief description of the four dimensions of empowerment is necessary: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Meaning matches the work responsibilities with the employee's values and beliefs. Having meaning will energize the employee. Competence involves the employee having the ability to perform their responsibilities, which will make the employee feel adequate. Self-determination allows the employee to dictate the direction of their work. These workers are not merely waiting for orders and have freedom to decide. Impact allows the employee to make a difference in their workplace and with the company. This dimension allows employees to contribute towards the company goals.

Where I work, we are all very empowered. It is a small, growing organization. The nature of software companies is casual and innovative and attracts a lot of young workers, where the executives are all middle-aged at most. This environment really allows creativity to thrive. Before we are even hired, usually a discussion of the companies value system takes place and that is actually what drew me to the company. The values of the company show not only what I believe but what was wrong with every other employer where I was unhappy. So this job definitely has meaning for me. The company core values are below in no particular order of importance:

1) Balance Creates Harmony; 2) Operational Excellence Drives Profits; 3) Innovation Is In Our DNA; 4) We Promote The Positive; 5) Character Matters; 6) Great Just Isn't Good Enough; 7) Our Partners Need To Be More Than Just Satisfied; 8) We Focus On Solutions; 9) We Must See the Forest And The Trees; and 10) Learning Never Ends.

When hired, we are all put through a rigorous boot camp to prove that we are competent. Because we are small, there are not multiple supervisors and managers to report to. I actually dictate most of what my job duties are. I am the only one in my role as well. the managers delegate responsibilities and they may check in, but they expect the employees to be accountable. Also because we are a smaller organization, everyone has the ability to make an impact. We really utilize resources. I not only contribute to the finance department but also contribute to the marketing and product departments as well, especially with the recent acquisition. I'm able to be on conference calls by myself with Europe. Our newly acquired company is in the Netherlands and we are starting to integrate them into our existing system. It is neat interacting with them on our social networking site. They're excited to see programs we do like our "Aced-It" program where anyone can praise someone else for any reason, not just management. It's a really empowering work environment. One of the things that also is nice is that managers are really supportive. As long as an employee demonstrates all of the dimensions of empowerment, they harbor no grudges about the employee moving to another department, promotions, or even leaving the company.
4.If a firm in a culture with a high power distance were to attempt to empower employees they would have to engage a different working culture. In an effort to lower the power distance, managers would have to give up some of the formality of titles and processes to insure innovation was engaged by employees. In a high power distance culture employees are typically required to use the chain-of-command in order to make decisions and if they don't, they may be punished.

The efforts to make this change would also require the receivers of being empowered to be changed. It is likely that those in a culture of high power distance would have a hard time accepting the change of being empowered as they have been instilled with the typical hierarchy of decision making. It would be wise to utilize strategies such as eliminating bureaucratic rules and regulations at first so that the employees would recognize the seriousness the firm would be taking in an attempt to give power back to the people that make it happen. Lowering their power distance by making things less formal and engaging employees in the decision making process would be critical to insure a proper implementation of an empowerment program.