Power associated with a person's position within the organizational hierarchy.

Power associated with a person's position within the organizational hierarchy.

• A. Position power
• B. Personal influence
• C. Organizational design
• D. Planning

Answer: (A)

Power associated with a person’s position within the organizational hierarchy is position power. This comes from the formal authority attached to a role—legitimate authority tied to the title, plus the ability to grant rewards, impose sanctions, and direct resources within the scope of the job. It’s about the leverage that comes from where someone sits in the structure, not from who they are as an individual. This is distinct from personal influence, which arises from traits like expertise, credibility, or relationships rather than the official role. Organizational design affects how tasks and reporting lines are arranged, which can shape who has authority, but it isn’t the power itself. Planning, on the other hand, is about setting goals and outlining steps to achieve them, not about the source of power.

Power associated with a person’s position within the organizational hierarchy is position power. This comes from the formal authority attached to a role—legitimate authority tied to the title, plus the ability to grant rewards, impose sanctions, and direct resources within the scope of the job. It’s about the leverage that comes from where someone sits in the structure, not from who they are as an individual.

This is distinct from personal influence, which arises from traits like expertise, credibility, or relationships rather than the official role. Organizational design affects how tasks and reporting lines are arranged, which can shape who has authority, but it isn’t the power itself. Planning, on the other hand, is about setting goals and outlining steps to achieve them, not about the source of power.