Social Psychological Perspectives on Power in Organizations

Organizations are characterized by limited resources, conflicting interests, and task interdependencies, which make them rife with political activity. To understand organizational behavior, then, one must understand power, which inevitably shapes how people make decisions, allocate resources, and ju...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Administrative science quarterly 2011-12, Vol.56 (4), p.495-500
Main Authors: Flynn, Francis J., Gruenfeld, Deborah, Molm, Linda D., Polzer, Jeffrey T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Decisions
Hierarchy
Judges
Leadership
Managers
Organizational Behavior
Organizational behaviour
Political Power
Power
Social psychology
Social Structure
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Summary:Organizations are characterized by limited resources, conflicting interests, and task interdependencies, which make them rife with political activity. To understand organizational behavior, then, one must understand power, which inevitably shapes how people make decisions, allocate resources, and judge their colleagues. Power is germane to organizational behavior, in the sense that changes in power affect the functioning of any social structure, especially those marked by hierarchical differences. To be effective leaders, managers must be able to diagnose who has power, how it is obtained, and when it can be wielded effectively in order to advance their political goals and, in turn, benefit their constituents. Adapted from the source document.
ISSN:0001-8392
1930-3815
DOI:10.1177/0001839212440969