Organization Management - Term Paper Example

He apprehended that the merger would result in creating a tier one organization but opera would eventually lose its identity. This would mean that the opera would come down from the highest step of ‘self actualization’ in Maslow’s need hierarchy to a lower order need which is ‘recognition or self esteem’. According to Maslow’s hierarchy people prefer to meet their lower order needs when the higher order needs remain unsatisfied. For Opera to lose its identity would eventually mean stepping down from its higher order need to a lower order one (O'Neil & Drillings, 1994, p.146). Question 2 2.

Scott Parker could convince Mr Abravanel using Maslow’s theory of motivation. Abravanel has the reputation of spending 32 years with Symphony which has taken the orchestra from a part time community band to a world class and famous symphony. As per Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Abravanel had attained the level of safety and security since the organization had attained a level of stability under Abravanel’s leadership. However, Parker could convince him on the ground that the merger would uplift the status of the organization even further as Opera was also a world class musical organization.

Making the merger a success would take him to a higher level of the hierarchy, i.e., the level of self actualization. Parker could convince him on the fact that the merger should be considered as a challenge for Abravanel and fulfilling the challenge would ultimately result in attainment of a higher reputation which would meet his self actualization need (Harris, McCaffer & Fotwe, 2006, p.99). Question 3 3. Personal power is that which is acquired through expertise, effort, personal attraction and legitimacy.

Personal power reflects task relevant knowledge and experience, high commitment; and other desirable characteristics which are consistent with the organization goals and objectives (Whetten, 2008, p.280). On the other hand positional powers are acquired through one’s position and the responsibilities and tasks which are assigned to him. This refers to the degree of access to information that he has, or the amount of discretion that is vested on him. Anne’s positional power seems to be stronger than her personal powers having served the Boston Lyric Opera as the general director.

This also gets reflected through the growth of Opera under her guidance from three to four production houses. She had gained immense reputation and recognition through her previous works. Her entire career depicts certain successful performances as the stage director in more than sixty opera productions in US. However, the fact that she was against the merger shows that she had little confidence in herself to drive the merger process. This demonstrates her weak personal power and fears. Her weak personal power gets reflected through her resistance against leading the merged entity as a CEO, although she had previously led a number of organizations in UK. a. Anne had the responsibility to taking forward the merged body of Opera and Symphony.

Since she was particularly successful in the field of raising funds, it would be prime responsibility to raise funds such as to relieve Opera of the deficit it was running. Anne could use her positional powers for soliciting donations from different states which would be possible because of the reputation she had gained so far. This would account for the main positional powers she could use to lead the merger efforts. Her positional powe