Coca Cola Company - Power Analysis in the Workplace - Essay Example

? Power Analysis in the Workplace Power Analysis in the Workplace This paper identifies interpersonal power, analyzes the vertical and horizontal sources of power, and comments on the use of power using observation made in Coca Cola Company. Setting Coca Cola Company in New York is a beverages company with 500 permanent employees and 600 casual employees. The organization structure of the company has the following departments: production, sales, and marketing. William Pratt is the head of production department. He commands within 230 employees under his department. Pratt is responsible for company production, supervises employees under him, order productions materials of the company, and he liaises with top management. Interpersonal power The power that head of production in Coca Cola company has is positioned based power owing to the position he hold in the company. Head of production uses legitimate power to influence workers serving under his command to complete various task as per the company requirement. He is able to exercise the powers conferred in his office to bring positive or negative results in company’s production. Workers serving under his docket are answerable to him. He schedules various production activities in the production line as deemed best. He grants permissions and leaves to employees after reviewing their demands. The head of production had legitimate powers to exercise coercive power in the company. He could fire an employee who fails to uphold standards of the company after several warnings. Coercive power is evident when head of production has to make tough decisions, which would influence the life of an employee serving under him. It is not surprising to see some employees granting in the company following measures taken against them. When a worker fails to discharge his duties as expected in the company, the head of production would sound a warning depending on the amount of wrong committed by the employee. Sometimes a worker may commit a felony, which warrants suspension. In this case, the head of production reviews the file of the worker, identifying the workers attitude and out put to the company. When the file of the worker indicates that he is not prone to such kind of felony, the head of operation gives a warning. Head of production exercises reward power in the company by influencing promotion of employees in the company. Head of production uses his reward power to appreciate hard working employees in production department. For instance, the head of productions usually recommend promotion of various workers serving under him. His position influences decisions made by committee deliberating on employees conduct. Head of production used his position-based sources of power to produce effective job in his department. He has knowledge about various components required in the production line. This attribute make his work easier when prescribing chemicals used in productions. Head of production handle matters affecting employees in the production sector. For an instance, head of production give example of the work he expects employees in the production line to do. It is evident that head of production had referent powers. Many employees in the company are free to share their problems with the head of production. Some employees commend him whenever he speaks to them during meetings. Many employees in the company feel that he is reliable when they are in need. Head of production is in his early that thirties and has demonstrated to the employees that he is able to listen to their problems on individual basis without demonstrating element of partiality. Vertical power Head production exercises his vertical/hierarchical power through decisions that he makes in his department (McShane& Von, 2010). He orders for materials and chemical used in his department. Head of production exercises his vertical power by influencing decisions in the production line. Management of processes in the production department belongs to the head of production. Head of production uses his vertical powers to set date for routine maintenance of the plant. The head of production assign subordinates to work in various areas within his department. Horizontal power Horizontal power occurs when an individual holding an office is able to exercise powers in areas such as substitutability, discretion, centrality, and visibility (McShane& Von, 2010). Head of production demonstrate substitutability power when he assumes the position of head of operation. Head of production usually assume the duties of head of operation in an acting capacity when head of operation is not in office. Chief executive officer of the company usually relies on head of production’s recommendation before deliberating on major issues that would affect the production of the company. Head of production uses his position to influence company production. Head of production uses his centrality power to supervise workflow in the production department. He expanded his communication network with his junior workers. This gave him the opportunity to detect fault or any problem the production team faced. Head production used his visibility power to solve problems facing the production team. He publicly addressed issues affecting his team with the management. Use of Power The head of production used his powers to help the operation achieve its production target. In Coca Cola Company, production target define the manner of operation strategy the company adapts. Head of production used his power to assign various workers to work in various departments within production line. He exercised his authority with a lot of intellect without interfering with people’s personal life. Critique of power use It is evident that head of production used his powers to influence the objectives of the company. Tactics employed by head of production in exercising his powers indicate that he balanced between company objectives and moral aspects of the society. Evidently, head of production was able to win the confidence of the people. His work in the company has proved to be reliable to workers and the company. Suggestions The head of production has been eying higher managerial post ever since he started working in the company. His education level cannot give him good opportunity to advance. He has proposed to take a masters degree in Industrial productions to equip him with skills required in higher cadre. He intends to improve horizontal power through education that he is yet to acquire. He hopes that by acquiring higher education he shall be able to exercise centrality and visibility power. It is apparent that when he acquires a masters’ degree in production he would be able to make effective decisions that would elevate his company. Head of production hopes that by improving his horizontal powers he would be able to improve company production output. Improving horizontal power means that he will be subject to better remuneration by the company. Work cited McShane& Von, G. (2010). Organization Behavior. Power and Influence in the workplace. New York: McGraw-Hill Company. Read More