Enumerate the nine most identified power tactics. Discuss their relative effectiveness.

Nine Identified Power Tactics

Based on research in organizational behaviour, particularly building upon the work of French & Raven and subsequent studies, nine key power tactics are frequently identified:

• Rational Persuasion: Using logical arguments and factual evidence to convince someone.
• Inspirational Appeals: Appealing to someone’s values, ideals, or emotions to gain support.
• Consultation: Seeking someone’s participation in making a decision or planning for the future.
• Ingratiation: Using flattery, praise, or friendly behaviour to make someone like you.
• Exchange: Offering to trade favours or resources to gain compliance.
• Personal Appeals: Asking someone to do something based on friendship or loyalty.
• Coalitions: Seeking the support of others to bolster your request.
• Pressure: Using demands, threats, or intimidation to get someone to comply.
• Legitimating Tactics: Claiming authority or highlighting one’s official position to justify a request.

Relative Effectiveness of Power Tactics

The effectiveness of each tactic varies significantly depending on factors such as the organizational culture, the relationship between the influencer and the target, and the nature of the request. Here’s a comparative assessment:

Power Tactic	Effectiveness (High/Medium/Low)	Situational Factors	Potential Drawbacks
Rational Persuasion	High	Requests are important, target is analytical, evidence is strong.	Time-consuming, may not work on emotionally driven individuals.
Inspirational Appeals	Medium-High	Target shares values with influencer, request aligns with organizational mission.	Can be perceived as manipulative if insincere.
Consultation	High	Target values input, request requires buy-in, fosters collaboration.	Can be slow, may lead to conflict if opinions differ.
Ingratiation	Medium	Building rapport, initial stages of influence.	Can be seen as insincere or manipulative, loses effectiveness over time.
Exchange	Medium-High	Clear mutual benefit, transactional relationships.	Can create a sense of obligation, may not work for long-term commitment.
Personal Appeals	Medium	Strong personal relationship, request is relatively small.	Can strain relationships if overused, inappropriate for professional settings.
Coalitions	Medium-High	Request is controversial, influencer lacks authority.	Can create factions, may backfire if coalition is exposed.
Pressure	Low-Medium	Immediate compliance is critical, influencer has significant power.	Damages relationships, creates resentment, can lead to retaliation.
Legitimating Tactics	Medium	Influencer has legitimate authority, request aligns with organizational rules.	Can be ineffective if target questions the legitimacy of the authority.

Factors Influencing Effectiveness

Several factors moderate the effectiveness of these tactics:

• Organizational Culture: A collaborative culture favours tactics like consultation, while a hierarchical culture may respond better to legitimating tactics.
• Relationship Quality: Strong relationships support tactics like personal appeals and consultation, while weaker relationships may require more assertive tactics.
• Target’s Personality: Individuals with different personality traits (e.g., agreeableness, conscientiousness) will respond differently to various tactics.
• Severity of the Request: Larger requests generally require more persuasive tactics, while smaller requests can be achieved with simpler approaches.

Research by Kip Williams et al. (2005) highlights the importance of perceived power dynamics. Individuals with higher perceived power are more likely to use tactics like pressure, while those with lower perceived power tend to rely on tactics like ingratiation.