POWER: Nature,
Dimensions, Types and
Consequences
POWER
• Power in its broadest sense, as stated
by Heywood (2007) is the ability to
achieve a desired outcome and is
sometimes seen as the ‘power to’ do
something.
Presentation Title
POWER
• Power in its broadest sense, as stated
by Heywood (2007) is the ability to
achieve a desired outcome and is
sometimes seen as the ‘power to’ do
something.
• Power is a RELATIONSHIP: the ability
to influence the behavior of others or
having ‘power over’ people and the
ability to punish or reward
Presentation Title
DIMENSIONS OR
FACES OF POWER
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POWER AS DECISION
MAKING
This face of power consists of conscious
actions that in some way influence the
content of decisions. Identifying who has
power is done by analysing decisions in the
light of the known preferences of the actors
involved. The implication of this view of
power is that the most powerful actors in
society are those whose opinion are
considered and upheld in the decision
making. The powerful are able to get what
they want and make others behave the
way they wanted them to.
POWER AS AGENDA
SETTING
The second face of power as further
discussed by Heywood (2007) is the
ability to prevent decisions being made:
that is, in effect, ‘non-decision-making’.
This according to him involves the ability
to set or control the political agenda,
thereby preventing issues or proposals
from being aired in the first place
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POWER AS THOUGHT
CONTROL
The third face of power, still according
to Heywood (2007) is the ability to
influence another by shaping what he
or she thinks, wants, or needs. This is
power expressed as ideological
indoctrination or psychological control
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TYPES OF
POWER
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POWER OF TAXONOMY
REWARD POWER - The target person complies in order to
rewards he or she believes are controlled by the agent.
COERCIVE POWER- The target person complies in order
to
avoid punishments he or she believes are controlled
by the agent.
LEGITIMATE POWER- The target person complies
because he or she believes the agent has the right to
make the request and the target person has the
obligation to comply.
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EXPERT POWER- The target person complies because he or
she believes that the agent has special knowledge about the
best way to do something.
REFERENT POWER-The target person complies because he or
she admires or identifies with the agent and wants to gain the
agent’s approval.
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CONSEQUENCE
OF POWER
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COMPLIANCE- means readiness or act of
agreeing to do something.
The two types of power most likely to cause compliance are
legitimate or position power and reward power.
➢ Compliance with the order may occur if it
is perceived to be within the leader’s
scope of authority.
➢ Compliance is most likely to happen if the reward is
something valued by the
target person.
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COMMITMENT- is an even more desirable outcome because of the trust
and emotional pledge that it causes. It is perceived as loyalty or a sense
of dedication or devotion. Commitment is most likely to be the
consequence when the powers used are referent and expert
➢ The common way to exercise referent
power is merely to ask someone with whom
one has a friendship to do something.
➢ Expert power may result to commitment if the leader
presents logical arguments and supporting evidence for a
particular proposal, order or policy.
It will depend on the leader’s credibility and persuasive
communication skills in addition to technical knowledge
and logical or analytical ability.
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➢ Commitment is a very unlikely consequence if
coercive power is employed.
RESISTANCE- means to refuse or to oppose. It is the most
likely outcome when coercive power is used in a hostile or
manipulative way. (Yukl 1989)
According to Heywood (2007), it is best to use
coercion power in preventing behavior that is harmful
to the society and well-being of the people such as
illegal and violent activities
