Question

In OB theory and other than "legitimate" power name and briefly describe 4 other bases of individual power in an organization?

Answer 1

OB (navigational behaviour)
It's the study of behaviour of human within an organisational environment. It is the study about what an individual feels, thinks, or what he does in and outside the organisation as an individual and in a group.

• Power
It is the capacity of a person to influence the behaviour of other person. Organisations are made up of several individual and exercise lesser or greater power.
Individuals have five potential sources of power, including reward power, coercive power, referent power, expert power and legitimate power.
• Expert power
Expert power is derived from the expertise or knowledge of an individual in a particular area. An expertised person is highly valued by other persons in the organisation for his knowledge and problem solving skill. People with expert power undertakes critical task and they are deemed indispensable.
The ideas, decisions and opinions of person with high expertise have the ability to influence other employees.
• Referent power
This kind of power is derived from the interpersonal relationship which a persons cultivates with other person in the organisation.
It is the ability of a person to influence others due to their followers loyalty, friendship, admiration or a desire to gain approval.
• Coercive power
It is the ability of a person to influence others through negative actions like threat or punishment. For example subordinate may work hard to meet a deadline to avoid punishment for disciplinary actions from his superior.
Coercive power helps to control the behaviour of employees by the way of punishment, firing or reprimand.
In short it is the ability of an individual which allows an authority figure to influence others through fear and threats.
The excessive use of coercive power makes a negative consequences in the firm. A negative environment will demotivate employees and may produce negative outcomes.
• Reward power
Reward power is opposite to coercive power.
It is the ability of a person in a leadership position to influence the behaviour of subordinate by giving rewards like money, promotion compliments for performance wich meets or exceeds expectation of organization. It helps to create healthy competition between employees to achieve the reward.
Reward system can motivate employees to work hard to achieve reward.