This document defines power and discusses its nature, dimensions, types, and consequences. It defines power as the ability to control and influence others' behavior and direct events. Power can be expressed upward from subordinates to leaders or downward from leaders to subordinates. The document outlines three types of power: power over others through domination, power to act independently, and power with others through cooperation. It also discusses three dimensions of power: decision-making power, agenda-setting power, and ideological power to shape desires. Finally, it explores the potential consequences of power, including compliance, commitment, resistance, and conformity.

1. Power:
Meaning, Dimensions, Types
and Consequences

2. Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able
to:
1. Define power;
2. Identify the nature, types, and consequences of power;
3. Explain the nature, dimensions, types and
consequences of power; and
4. Explain how power is exercised in different situations.

3. POWER
•Power is the capability to control and influence
people’s behaviour as well as the capability to
direct the paths and result of events (Oxford
University Press, 2015)
•It can be perceived as good or bad, just or unjust,
and its exercise is accepted and acknowledged
since the beginning of time.

4. •Power may be expressed as Upward, where the
leader or superior influences the members or
subordinates; or it may be expressed as Downward,
where the members or subordinates influence
decisions of their leader or superior (Bukowski and
Rajagopalan, 2000)

5. Natures of Power
POWER OVER
The ability to dominate another person or a
group.
Usually comes from force or threat.
POWER TO
The ability to do something on one’s own
(sources: intellect, resources, knowledge, stamina
and etc.)38

6. POWER WITH
Is similar also to “power to” in that it reflects
ability
The ability to work with others to get
something done by cooperation

7. Dimensions of Power
One-dimensional
view
Two-dimensional
view
Three-
dimensional view
Proponents Dahl, Polsby,
Clasic Pluralists
Bachrach and
Baratz, neo-
elitists
Lukes, Marxists,
Neo-Marxists and
radical
elitists/pluralists
Conception of
Power
Power as
decision-making
Power as decision
making and
agenda setting
Power as
decision-making,
agenda-setting,
and preference-
shaping

8. One-dimensional
view
Two-dimensional
view
Three-
dimensional view
Focus of Analysis The formal
political arena
The formal
political arena and
the processes
surrounding it (the
corridors of
power)
Civil society more
generally,
especially the
public sphere (in
which preferences
are shaped)
Methodological
Approach
‘counting ‘ of votes
and decisions in
decision-making
forums
Ethnography of
the corridors of
power to elucidate
the informal
processes through
which the agenda
is set
Ideology critique –
to demonstrate
how actors come
to misperceive
their own material
interestss

9. One-
dimensional
view
Two-
dimensional
view
Three-
dimensional
view
Nature of Power Visible,
transparent, and
easily measured
Both visible and
invisible (visible
only to agenda-
setters), but can
be rendered
visible through
gaining inside
information)
Largely invisible
– power distorts
perceptions and
shapes
preference; it
must be
demystified

10. The Three Faces of Power
1. DECISION – MAKING POWER
‘open face of power’
The ability to control or influence in an open and
direct way.
In the classical idea of political power, meaning the
government has the power to make decisions on
behalf of the people.

11. 2. AGENDA – SETTING POWER
‘power is exercised behind closed door’
This is because you can decide or limit what will be
discussed and more importantly what cannot be
discussed, effectively controlling the situation.
Power is not just about decision making, it is about
preventing decisions being made or reducing the
choices which can be made.

12. 3. IDEOLOGICAL POWER
‘power to shape desires’
It seeks to identify “the means though which power
influences, shapes and determines conceptions of
necessities, possibilities and strategies of challenge
in situation of conflict.”

13. Taxonomy of Power
- in 1959, John French and Bertman
Raven created the six (6) bases of power to
power to understand the influence of a
leader.

14. Coercive Power
- Involves the usage of threat to make people
do what one desires. In the organization set up,
it translate into threatening someone to
transfer, firing, demotions, etc. it basically
forces people to submit to one’s demand for
the fear of losing something.

15. Reward Power
- Uses rewards, perks, new projects or training
opportunities, better roles and monetary benefits to
influence people.
- However an interesting aspect of this type of power is
that, it is not powerful enough in itself, as decisions
related to rewards do not rest solely with the person
promising them, because in an organizations, a lot of
other people come into play like senior managers and
board.

16. Legitimate Power
- this power emanates from an official
position held by someone, be it an organization,
bureaucracy or government and etc. The duration
of this power is short lived as a person can use it
only till the time he/she holds the position, as
well as, the scope of the power is small as it is
strictly defined by the position held.

17. Informational Power
- power that comes from access to and
control over information.
- information is a form of influence and social
power by providing information to a person
resulting them to think and act in different way.

18. Expert Power
- this is a personal kind of power which owes
its genesis to the skills and expertise possessed by
an individual, which is higher quality and not
easily available.

19. Referent Power
- wielded by celebrities and film stars as they
have huge following amongst masses, who like
them, identify with them and follow them. Hence,
they exert lasting influence on a large number of
people for a large number of decisions; like what
car to buy, to which candidate to choose for a
higher office in the country.

20. POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE
-by Lito A. Peñaflor
Karyl O. Peñaflor
Other Types of
Power

21. Economic Power
- refers to such power usually exercised by
the employer over the employees whereby the
latter do whatever their employers wanted them
to. The source of power is economic in nature
which serves as a means of livelihood on the part
of those over whom said power is being
exercised.

22. Political Power
- This power is brought by people’s relationship with
one another whereby one person impose his will
upon another which the latter cannot refuse for a
valid reason. In its most common manifestation
political power put one on top of the government
either by popular election or by military takeover of
the government.

23. Social Power
- is one whereby a person has become so
influenced (powerful) in a given society at a
certain point in time due to his social status and
recognized as such by the other members of the
society with self-esteem.

24. Authority
- is the power accruing due to one’s position
in the government. The power in this regards is
co-extensive with one’s office as different
government offices have various degrees of
authority (power).

25. Military Power
- This power is brought about by the military
forces of a given country. Hence, this power is
co-extensive with the strength of that country’s
defense. Anyway, this can be augmented by
civilian defense forces.

26. Jurisdiction
- refers to such power of the court to try
cases and impose its judgement. This is subject to
the laws that determine the degree and manner
of its exercise as well as the persons over whom
the same could be exercised.

27. Consequences
of Power

28. Compliance
Refers to the readiness or act of agreeing to do
something.
1. Compliance with the order may occur if it is perceived to
be within the leader’s scope of authority.
2. Compliance is most likely to happen if the reward is
something valued by the target person.

29. Commitment
- is an even more desirable outcome because of he
trust and emotional pledge that it causes. It is
perceived as loyalty or a sense of dedication or
devotion.
- commitment is more likely to be the
consequence of powers used are referent and expert.

30. Resistance
means to refuse or to oppose.
It is most likely the outcome when coercive power
is used in hostile or manipulative way. It is best to
use coercion power in preventing behaviour that is
harmful to the society and to the well-being of the
people such as illegal and violent activities.
(Heywood, 2007)

31. Conformity
Power is abused by compliance with the
standards set by the society. People are often
quick to conform just to please others.

32. Sometime in 1960, Stanley Milgram studied conformity to the
authority. The participant were paid by the researcher to take a
researcher to take a certain role. The participant (as teacher) was
told to shock the participant (as learner) whenever an incorrect
answer were given. In the study the participant (learner) were
confederate who pretend to be hurt by the electric shock. He
told the participant (teachers) that they will not be held liable to
whatever happen to the participant (learners) and that he
needed their help to complete his experiment. The result ended
up that all participant are willing to administer up to 300 volts.,
and 65% were willing to go up 450 volts.