Let 1 Task 3

Five Bases of Power

The example given in this task demonstrates all of the five bases of power which include referent power, legitimate power, expert power, coercive power and reward power. The relationship with the manager and employee one is one of many uses of the five bases of power. Reward power is given to the manager to help in getting employee one to do more work. Also the manager uses legitimate and coercive power to let employee one know that he controls the bonuses. With his legitimate power he insures that employee one knows that although it is not required it would be in his best interest to work more than forty hours a week and sacrifice his weekends if the need arises. The managers use of coercive power when he reminds employee one that a superior rating will get him his bonus. This could be basically like saying either you do it or else I will not give you a superior rating which in turn equals no bonus.

With employee two the manager has little power over him. With employee two he uses expert power to get what he wants. The manager in this scenario cannot afford for employee two to be unhappy therefore he is given more flexibility. This power would be greatly diminished if the manager hired an additional CPA. Employee two would have less to bargain with since he would not be the only one with expert power to exercise. Other employees may not like that he works a compressed work week but with employee two being the only one who can perform these duties it makes him invaluable to the company.

Employee three possesses referent power. Although he is relatively new he has gain the trust and respect from his peers. This allows him to move ahead much sooner than a similar employee who does not possess the same personality traits. Employee threes possession of referent power does not necessarily mean that he is the best qualified it just means that he is the one that his peers will choose do to his personality.

The relationship between...