Power and Authority Within Organizations
Power and Authority Within Organizations
Hatch (1997) distinguishes between power and authority in organizations. Referring to Pfeffer, Hatch states that authority is directed downward in the organizational hierarchy while power can exist regardless of authority and is dependant more on social relationships than hierarchy. Hatch goes on to point out that power exists in mutually respectful relationships.
We, as information professionals should always keep this power/authority relationship in mind, not only for management issues but also when conducting library services. Any power a librarian wields when providing services is another truly reciprocal relationship. Without the knowledge seeker to provide service for, the information professional would be obsolete. Conversely, without the information professional the patron would most likely not be provided with a plethora of information on any given topic.
Recognizing and acknowledging these relationships can lead to the break down of the environmental stereotypical images that continue to surround libraries as church-like tombs only to be entered by the bravest of souls who know the rules of conduct. By acknowledging that without information seekers information professionals would not exist, we begin to change the culture of libraries. By releasing the roles expected of us and becoming interdependent upon each other, we become a truly collaborative field and change the structure of the organization.
To move toward a postmodern perspective, information professionals must embrace the idea that true power comes in the recognition that we are more powerful together, relying on each other and appreciating the power that each holds, than we ever will be alone.
Tammie B.
posted by Mary Ann @ 6:13 PM
4 Comments:
This power/authority relationship can be viewed through the various roles of a library media specialist in a school setting.
Hatch states (p. 284) "the primary difference between authority and other forms of power derives from the way power is perceived within a given relationship. Authority occurs when the development of norms and expectation make the exercise of power both accepted and expected."
When the library media specialist takes on a teaching role, they have authority over students in order to maintain behaviors and expectations so learning can occur and outcomes reached. This exercise of power is both accepted and expected in this role.
The power/authority realtionship can be viewed in a different way when working with library assistants, aides, voluteers and other staff within the library setting. It is then the library media specialist must respect other roles so they can complete the "mundane jobs" as mentioned in the above posting.
When the library media specialist provides services to both students and staff, they use power in a "multidirectional" way rather than exercising authority directed downward as described by Hatch (p. 284) It is creating that need for the library user in order to maintain library services.
The library media specialist uses both power and authority when they take on different roles and the understanding of these roles will help in the overall use and success of the library and its services.
M. Lambert
I agree with Tammie’s statement that Hatch (1997) points out that power exists in mutually respectful relationship, and that these relationships are for the most part social rather than hierarchical. The article Making the Invisible Work Visible: Using Social Network Analysis to Support Strategic Collaboration by Cross, Borgatti, and Parker (2002) offers a tangent to this idea that would help support the library as an institution. These authors felt that executives should take a closer look at the informal, social networks in their organization and to even employee the use of a sociogram to get a clearer understanding of the complex web that these relationships can weave from department to department and team to team.
In the context of the library, using these social maps would help to locate which workers are crossed trained, even if informally, in other departments and work towards “ensuring that the expertise resident in a given network is being effectively utilized.”(Cross, Borgatti, and Parker, p. 27). This would guarantee that the library’s clientele are receiving the best possible service at all times. It would also be an “effective tool for promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing within important groups such as core functions” (Cross, Borgatti, and Parker, p. 29) of the library.
Erica S.
I would like to elaborate on Hatch's statement that power exists in mutually respectful relationships. Library media specialists gain and use power when they enter into a relationship as a service provider. Robert Grover identifies four steps when diagnosing information needs for a patron: diagnosis, prescription, treatment and evaluation. Using these steps a library media specialist can enter into a profitable relationship with a patron. As the specialist is able to meet the need of the patron it could be said she gains power. I would rather identify it as a successful service relationship which in turns support future use of the library. Grover gives us an excellent model to use when creating and maintaining a relationship.
Sorry, I didn't identify myself in the last comment. I'm Ann H.
I wrote about Grover.
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