Introduction

Document Type

Book chapter

Source Publication

Power and interdependence in organizations

Publication Date

1-1-2009

First Page

1

Last Page

13

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Abstract

Power pervades everyday life in organizations and society and can be highly constructive but also very destructive. The powerful overcome adversities to unite and liberate countries; the powerful also suppress and demoralize. Power can mobilize us to rescue people from tragedies but also to bring havoc. Power helps us get things done that we cannot do alone, for good and for evil. It affects our dealing with crises but also our everyday activities. Power is inevitable in our organizations: the issue we confront is to understand when it is constructive and when it is destructive. Power plays a key role in organizations and groups, indeed in all social contexts. Organizations – with their hierarchical structure, interdependent relationships, and the potential goal incompatibilities of the parties – are major arenas where power processes occur. Chapters in this book explore the positive and negative faces of power and interdependence in organizations; they identify opportunities and threats. Together the chapters advocate the need to manage power in order to take advantage of it and guard against its destructiveness. The need to manage power crosses all boundaries; we need knowledge developed worldwide to help us manage power constructively.

DOI

10.1017/CBO9780511626562.002

Publisher Statement

Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009 and 2010. Access to external full text or publisher's version may require subscription.

Additional Information

ISBN of the source publication: 9780511626562

Full-text Version

Publisher’s Version

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Tjosvold, D., & Wisse, B. (2009). Introduction. In D. Tjosvold & B. Wisse (Eds.), Power and interdependence in organizations (pp. 1-13). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.1017/CBO9780511626562.002

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