Power and organizations: Knowledge is power - Essay Example

The effectiveness on how the power of knowledge is operated in an organization has a great impact on the overall performance as well as the success of any organization (Henry 2002). There is a wide range of interpretations in regard to the concept of power in the context of human societies and human organizations; Power is basically considered to have the ability of influencing, affecting, mobilizing and the employment of various sanctions (Alvesson 2006). These meanings attributed to power including control influence, domination and knowledge are considered to be related and should be operated effectively in such a way that it is consistent with the organizational goals and objectives.

Power in the context of organizations comprises the organizational structure and its legitimacy. In some cases illegitimate power may be recognized in the case of organizational changeover. The conceptual framework of power entails various theories which explain how power is operated in the organization by the individuals who are obligated to the management of power which involves the employment of the various aspects of knowledge (Alvesson 2006). The theories of power under this conceptual framework include the exchange theory, the source of power in organizations and finally the knowledge of power mainly the management processes in the organization (Henry 2002).

The examination and discussion of these theories provides a precise and conceptual manner on how power can be operated for the efficiency and the improvement of the overall performance of the organization. EXCHANGE THEORY This is one of the major theories of power which mainly has its assertions and arguments based on the exchange theory in the underlying economic concepts and it is associated with the notion of the market referred to as catallaxy(Franz 2001). The catalaxy is generally a market order in which organizations are characterized with unplanned ends thus they are characterized with to what is called spontaneous orders in an organization.

From this the exchange theory of power asserts that individuals in an organization operating with certain level of power divert from their normal course of duty and pursue their interests. It is notable that the individuals operate within the set frameworks and the set laws of the organization (Franz 2001). Putting this into the context of the organization, the emphasis on the existence of interpersonal relationship between the managers and the subordinates mainly the employer employee relations creates an influence on the nature and the scope of the organizational power (Henry 2002).

This creates an insight on how powers in an organizations can be complete when this relationship is fostered attributed by the exchange of power between the two contexts of the stakeholders in the organization. The exchange theory mainly involves the exchange and interaction between the power of the superior and the influence and control over the subordinates. The impacts on the assertions of the exchange theo