Concept of Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Concept of Power - Essay Example Resource dependence theory is based on the fact that organizations inevitably depend on resources and their mobility and as result in turn depend on suppliers of those resources (Pfeffer, 2003)On the other hand institutional theory is based on the argument that organizations aren't particularly concerned about task expediencies but about expediencies that arise from the strategic cultural environment of the organization, along with meeting demands put forward by lending and professional institutions. Finally the population ecology theory emphasizes the ways and means through which organizations' structures and forms are influenced ((Hannan M. T., 1989)). For example changing nature of the organization has less influence on such structures than the birth and death of organizations. In the ordinary sense of the word 'power' enables those who exercise it to dominate over those who don't have it. This explanation seems to be rather simplistic though still the conventional organizational theories have a much wider acceptance in modern management theories. Power is a dynamic concept with a degree of fluidity and much less transparency. In other words the concept of power acquires a newer and more articulate dimension in the modern unconventional organizational theory than hitherto was known. The concept of power has many nuances including that it's associated with responsibility. Thus organizational power can be extended to include corporate responsibility as well.Resource dependence theory invariably supports these power dynamics in its articulation of a strategic supplier dominated organizational environment. However it must be noted here that modern writers on unconventional organizational theory tend to speculate on politicized organizational environments in or der to give a revolutionary interpretation to the evolving structures and cultures. Power is rooted in the organization's dependence on resource providers who might not hesitate to manipulate the organizational outcomes by imposing their weight on its structures and forms. Thus power as a concept in the modern sense of the organizational context is a barometer of organizational strengths. In other words organizational power isn't a simple aggregation of 'individual powers' as such. It has a much wider significance and impact on the organizational outcomes.The theoretical premise of power is derived from the fact that suppliers of resources have a strategic link with the organization. Therefore it is the suppliers who exercise political control over the organization (Ulrich, 1984)The authors identify and address the implications of anti-management theories within the organizational context so that a particularly significant hidden feature of the organization is brought to the surface . Notwithstanding the counter argument that organizations do not seek intentionally to