Question 1

People might gain power by convincing others that they have something of value.

Accepted Answer

This is true as people who convince others that they have something of value can gain power over them. This can be in the form of possessing knowledge, skills, or material resources that are deemed valuable by others. In some cases, people may even perceive others as powerful based on their social status or reputation.

Question 2

Some employees and departments gain power by forecasting uncertainties in the organization's environment.

Accepted Answer

By forecasting uncertainties, certain employees and departments can position themselves as experts and gain influence within the organization. This includes predicting changes in customer needs, technological advancements, and market trends. However, this power is not guaranteed and can also be found in other areas such as financial performance, strategic decision-making, or operational excellence.

Question 3

One potent form of legitimate power occurs where people withhold the right to control the information that others receive.

Accepted Answer

Legitimate power is derived from a person's position or job in an organization, not from withholding information. Withholding information is more related to informational power or control rather than legitimate power.

Question 4

The norm of reciprocity creates a feeling of obligation to help someone who has helped you in the past.

Accepted Answer

The norm of reciprocity is a social norm that creates a sense of obligation to repay or reciprocate when someone has helped you in the past. This can involve returning a favor or doing something kind for the person who helped you.

Question 5

Three general strategies to help organizations cope with uncertainty are prevention, creation, and deception.

Accepted Answer

The statement is not entirely accurate. Prevention and creation are indeed two strategies to help organizations cope with uncertainty. However, deception is not a recommended strategy and can have negative consequences for the organization. It is important for organizations to maintain transparency and honesty in their operations.

Question 6

Employees are losing their expert power as society moves from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy.

Accepted Answer

In a knowledge-based economy, the value of expert power actually increases because organizations rely more on the specialized knowledge and skills of their employees to innovate and stay competitive.

Question 7

Subordinates have some reward power over their bosses through 360-degree feedback systems.

Accepted Answer

In a 360-degree feedback system, subordinates provide feedback on their boss's performance, which can impact the boss's career advancement and compensation. This gives subordinates a certain level of reward power over their bosses.

Question 8

Referent power is mainly developed through a person's interpersonal skills.

Accepted Answer

Referent power is based on one's ability to be personally admired, respected, and trusted by others. It is earned through interpersonal skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, and building relationships with others. Thus, referent power is mainly developed through a person's interpersonal skills.

Question 9

You cannot have power over others unless others believe you have that capacity

Accepted Answer

Power is a relational concept and requires a perception of one's ability to influence or control others. Without others believing in a person's capacity to exercise power, that person cannot effectively wield power over them.

Question 10

Prevention, forecasting, and absorption are three contingencies of power in organizations.

Accepted Answer

The three contingencies of power in organizations are typically identified as prevention, detection, and response, not prevention, forecasting, and absorption.

Question 11

Legitimate power is an agreement between people that one person has the right to request specific behaviours from the other person.

Accepted Answer

Legitimate power refers to the authority that a person holds due to their position or role in an organization or society. This power is recognized by others as legitimate, which means that they accept the person's right to request certain behaviors or actions. Examples of legitimate power include a boss giving orders to an employee, a teacher instructing a student, or a police officer directing traffic. Legitimate power is based on an agreement between people that certain individuals have the right to exercise authority and control over others.

Question 12

Power is defined as influence in motion.

Accepted Answer

Power is defined as the ability or capacity to do something, or the capability or influence to direct or control the behavior of others or the course of events. It is not defined as "influence in motion."

Question 13

The most powerful coping strategy to deal with uncertainty is prevention

Accepted Answer

Prevention is not a coping strategy for dealing with uncertainty. Coping strategies are used to manage the emotional and psychological distress caused by uncertainty, while prevention is aimed at reducing the likelihood of uncertainty occurring in the first place.

Question 14

Employees with a high power distance tend to have higher deference to authority.

Accepted Answer

Employees with a high power distance are more likely to accept and respect authority figures, and are less likely to challenge their decision-making or actions.

Question 15

Countervailing power refers to the power that the dominant person in a relationship uses as a backup when the primary source of power fails to work as planned on the dependent person.

Accepted Answer

Countervailing power refers to the ability of a weaker party or market participant to balance or offset the power of a stronger party, often used in the context of economic relationships, such as between buyers and sellers or between labor and management, rather than being about a backup source of power in a dominant-dependent relationship.

Question 16

Employees with low power distance are more likely to comply with legitimate power

Accepted Answer

Employees with low power distance believe in equal power distribution and are less likely to comply just because of someone's position or legitimate power; they value merit and consensus more.

Question 17

Legitimate power is created whenever the organization assigns a supervisor formal

Accepted Answer

The answer of Legitimate power is created whenever the organization...

Question 18

Power does not exist until the power holder actually applies power to influence someone else.

Accepted Answer

Power exists as a potential or capacity to influence others, even if it is not currently being applied or exercised.

Question 19

The right to control information flow in the organization is a form of legitimate power.

Accepted Answer

Legitimate power refers to the power that a person holds due to their position or role in an organization. As such, the right to control information flow in the organization is a form of legitimate power as it is often associated with roles such as managers or senior leaders who are responsible for making decisions and communicating them to others in the organization.

Question 20

Peer pressure typically represents a form of coercive power.

Accepted Answer

Peer pressure involves the use of social influence to sway an individual's actions, beliefs, or attitudes towards a particular choice or behavior. This social influence can be seen as a coercive power that can have significant impacts on individuals, particularly those in group settings.

Quiz 10: Power and Influence in the Workplace