Research on dominance (control) versus submissiveness (agency) dimension of social relationships in organizations illustrate that most of the individuals prefer coordinating with each other when one of these individuals is dominant while the other is submissive in a task-oriented context. On that note, it is surprising that submissive individuals prefer working with dominant partners compared to submissive partners.
A dominant individual in a task-oriented context directs submissive individuals hence assisting groups to achieve their goals. Power is, therefore, the core dimension of hierarchical differentiation. Research shows that hierarchical rank in any organization predicts motivational, cognitive, and behavioral variables such as job satisfaction and goal setting. However, the way power holders including managers make decisions, approach goals, and how they process information helps them increase their domination over colleagues and control over resources. It is, therefore, important to understand how dominion by managers affects task performance.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Hierarchy and Dominance in Organizations
2. Managerial Power and Influence Tactics
3. Functionalist Perspectives on Hierarchical Structures
4. The Process and Strategic Importance of Delegation
5. Hierarchical Coordination and Organizational Motivation
Objectives and Themes
This work examines how managers maintain authority and exert influence over colleagues while effectively delegating responsibilities to achieve organizational goals. It explores the interplay between power dynamics, hierarchical structures, and managerial delegation practices.
- The role of hierarchical rank in predicting organizational behavior.
- The influence of power dynamics on managerial decision-making.
- Benefits of delegation for employee motivation and performance.
- Functionalist theory regarding decision-making and group coordination.
- The balance between maintaining control and fostering employee development.
Excerpt from the Book
How Managers Accomplish Domination over Colleagues While Delegating Responsibility
Research on dominance (control) versus submissiveness (agency) dimension of social relationships in organizations illustrate that most of the individuals prefer coordinating with each other when one of these individuals is dominant while the other is submissive in a task-oriented context. On that note, it is surprising that submissive individuals prefer working with dominant partners compared to submissive partners. A dominant individual in a task-oriented context directs submissive individuals hence assisting groups to achieve their goals. Power is, therefore, the core dimension of hierarchical differentiation (Anderson & Brown, 2010).
Research shows that hierarchical rank in any organization predicts motivational, cognitive, and behavioral variables such as job satisfaction and goal setting. However, the way power holders including managers make decisions, approach goals, and how they process information helps them increase their domination over colleagues and control over resources. It is, therefore, important to understand how dominion by managers affects task performance (Mookherjee, 2006).
Success in influencing people is one of the most important determinants of managerial effectiveness but how they achieve this success still remains debatable. Most of the managers have successfully achieved power over colleagues while delegating their responsibility as they are able to influence their peers to provide assistance and support to subordinates, and also influence superiors to provide the necessary resources in the organizations thus influencing change in the firm (Bateman & Snell, 2004). Power is an essential ingredient on how people influence others in an organization. Power is defined as the ability or capacity to influence people and events for instance, the influence of managers on organization decisions.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction to Hierarchy and Dominance in Organizations: Provides an overview of the relationship between dominance and submissiveness within professional environments and introduces the concept of power as a core dimension of hierarchy.
2. Managerial Power and Influence Tactics: Discusses how managers utilize power to influence behavior and cognitive processes, emphasizing the necessity of managerial effectiveness in driving organizational change.
3. Functionalist Perspectives on Hierarchical Structures: Analyzes the functional benefits of hierarchies regarding decision-making, intra-group coordination, and the psychological incentives for high-ranking individuals.
4. The Process and Strategic Importance of Delegation: Details the eight-step delegation model and explains how delegating responsibility serves as a tool for managers to enhance employee potential and organizational output.
5. Hierarchical Coordination and Organizational Motivation: Explores how hierarchical structures facilitate motivation and social order, concluding that effective delegation is a continuous process of checking and performance evaluation.
Keywords
Hierarchy, Dominance, Power, Delegation, Management, Influence, Organizational Behavior, Subordinates, Decision-making, Coordination, Motivation, Leadership, Performance, Functionalist Theory, Authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The work focuses on the intersection of managerial authority and delegation, examining how leaders maintain dominance while empowering subordinates to meet organizational objectives.
What are the central themes of the document?
The central themes include power dynamics, the functionality of hierarchical structures, the psychology of leadership, and the strategic implementation of delegation processes.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The objective is to explain how successful managers balance the need for control and hierarchical status with the necessity of delegating tasks to ensure organizational efficiency.
Which scientific theories are utilized in the analysis?
The author references the Power Approach Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the Functionalist Theory of Hierarchy, and the Approach-Inhibition Theory of Power.
What does the main body cover?
The main body covers the mechanics of organizational power, the benefits of hierarchical structures for team coordination, and a step-by-step model for effective delegation.
Which keywords best describe the paper?
Key terms include hierarchy, dominance, delegation, leadership, organizational behavior, power, and managerial influence.
How does delegation affect subordinates?
Delegation improves employee motivation, allows for the acquisition of new techniques, and aligns individual work output with company goals.
What are the potential negative impacts of power in organizations?
The text notes that excessive power can lead to "corrupting effects," where managers may exhibit rude or uncivil behavior and become rigid in their decision-making process.
Why is hierarchical structure considered beneficial for teams?
Hierarchies are argued to reduce intra-group conflict and improve coordination and cohesion, leading to higher overall performance compared to flat structures.
What is the role of the manager in the delegation process?
Beyond assigning tasks, the manager is responsible for continuous evaluation and checking to ensure that delegation effectively serves the company's objectives without abuse of power.
- Quote paper
- Caroline Mutuku (Author), 2018, How Managers accomplish Domination over Colleagues while delegating Responsibility, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/426908
