Marianne B. Parohinog MA.ED.

– Educational Management

College de la Purisima Concepcion

The School of the Archdiocese of Capiz
Roxas City 5800, Philippines

SCHOOL OF GADUATE STUDIES

Midterm Examination
In
Education 206– Organization and Management

Discuss the following questions comprehensively. Answer only five (5) out of six (6) questions given.

1. Compare and contrast power and authority. Discuss how this concept relates to influence
behavior of people in the organization?

Power and authority. These two terms carry a lot of weight, especially in the workplace.
Most people might think of these two forms of influence as the same, especially regarding
authority vs. power in management. Although it appears that there’s a fine line between them,
they are different in many ways. Let us first define what is power? According to Shonna Waters,
power is a person’s capacity or ability to exert their will over someone else. While, Authority is
the formal and often legal right that a person holds to make decisions and give commands to
others.

In the article, written by Shonna Waters she stated 6 key differences between power
and authority in the workplace. First, the meaning which I stated above. Second, their source.
The source of power depends on the type of power. Some people see power as something they
receive from an external source. This could be an assigned title or position that gives someone
control. For example, a police officer would have legitimate power. His power comes from his
position. Some people see power as a personal trait that is derived from status, charisma, and
even financial and social standing. It is an acquired ability that often stems from superior
knowledge and expertise. In this case, power is the self-granted right to control the decisions
and actions of others. Position and office determine a person’s authority in a specific situation.
Authority is attached to a position it is conferred to. This means that whichever person holds the
position is also granted the authority attached to it. The higher that person’s ranking or position,
the higher their authority will be. Third, the hierarchy of power vs. authority is very different.
Power does not follow a specific hierarchy. It can instead flow in any direction. This could be
from superior to subordinate, subordinate to superior, or junior to senior. Or it could be
between people working on similar levels but different departments. Power is not confined by
any boundaries. And, it is usually complicated by an element of politics in the workplace. In
contrast, authority is hierarchical in nature. It always flows downward. An authoritative superior
can delegate authority to a subordinate or junior employee. Forth, ability to be lost. You can
lose both power and authority. But power is easier to lose than authority. Power is lost quickly
through mistakes, as well as poor actions and behaviors. However, it’s important to note that
people often become more powerful the longer they work in a given industry. Because power is
built on expertise and experience, a person who makes repeated mistakes in business can lose
 their credibility — even if they were very powerful before. Authority is more technical and static
in nature. It’s only lost when a person in a position of authority loses the position associated
with the authority. An organization can take authority away from someone by removing them
from their positions. Or by removing responsibilities from that position that formerly gave them
a certain amount of authority. Fifth, Formality. Power is more informal. It may be obtained
through illegitimate or informal means, such as nepotism and corruption or organizational
networks. Authority, on the other hand, is both legitimate and formal. It needs to be granted by
a person or entity in a superior position and can get revoked under specified circumstances or
misuses. Lastly, Legitimacy, People can acquire power through illegitimate means. Power may
also be abused. Because of this, it tends to have less legitimacy than authority. This is
particularly true in a workplace setting. Employees are generally more likely to respect a
superior’s authority than power exerted from someone of the same rank. The legality behind
authority also provides added legitimacy in some cases.

As for the similarities, power and authority are both methods of influencing other
people and both can be easily taken away.

2. Define “Organization Structure” and explain its role in the process of managing the
organization.

An organizational structure is a system that outlines how certain activities are directed
in order to achieve the goals of an organization. These activities can include rules, roles, and
responsibilities.

The organizational structure also determines how information flows between levels
within the company. For example, in a centralized structure, decisions flow from the top down,
while in a decentralized structure, decision-making power is distributed among various levels of
the organization. Having an organizational structure in place allows companies to remain
efficient and focused. (Quangyen Tran, Yezhuang Tian, 2013)

Organizations of all shapes and sizes use organizational structures heavily. They define a
specific hierarchy within an organization. A successful organizational structure defines each
employee's job and how it fits within the overall system. Put simply, the organizational structure
lays out who does what so the company can meet its objectives.

This structuring provides a company with a visual representation of how it is shaped and
how it can best move forward in achieving its goals. Organizational structures are normally
illustrated in some sort of chart or diagram like a pyramid, where the most powerful members
of the organization sit at the top, while those with the least amount of power are at the bottom.

Not having a formal structure in place may prove difficult for certain organizations. For
instance, employees may have difficulty knowing to whom they should report. That can lead to
uncertainty as to who is responsible for what in the organization.

Having a structure in place can help with efficiency and provide clarity for everyone at
every level. That also means each and every department can be more productive, as they are
likely to be more focused on energy and time.
3. We have established a new strategy; how should we organize to ensure that the strategic
goals are realized?

To address new challenges and organization concerns, organizations must constantly

monitor, evaluate, and adjust their strategic initiatives. When a new strategy needs to be
implemented, it’s typically up to managers to ensure it rolls out successfully. Kelsey Miller,
raised seven steps to introduce and roll out a new strategy successfully.

 Set Clear Goals and Define Key Variables. You must identify the goals that the
new strategy should achieve. Without a clear picture of what you’re trying to
attain, it can be difficult to establish a plan for getting there.
 Determine Roles, Responsibilities, and Relationships. Once you’ve determined
the goals you’re working toward and the variables that might get in your way,
you should build a roadmap for achieving those goals, set expectations among
your team, and clearly communicate your implementation plan, so there’s no
confusion.
 Delegate the Work. Once you know what needs to be done to ensure success,
determine who needs to do what and when. Refer to your original timeline and
goal list, and delegate tasks to the appropriate team members.
 Execute the Plan, Monitor Progress and Performance, and Provide Continued
Support. Next, you’ll need to put the plan into action. One of the most difficult
skills to learn as a manager is how to guide and support employees effectively.
While your focus will likely be on delegation much of the time, it’s important to
make yourself available to answer questions your employees might have, or
address challenges and roadblocks they may be experiencing.
 Take Corrective Action (Adjust or Revise, as Necessary). Implementation is an
iterative process, so the work doesn’t stop as soon as you think you’ve reached
your goal. Processes can change mid-course, and unforeseen issues or
challenges can arise. Sometimes, your original goals will need to shift as the
nature of the project itself changes. It’s more important to be attentive, flexible,
and willing to change or readjust plans as you oversee implementation than it is
to blindly adhere to your original goals.
 Get Closure on the Project, and Agreement on the Output. Everyone on the
team should agree on what the final product should look like based on the goals
set at the beginning. When you’ve successfully implemented your strategy,
check in with each team member and department to make sure they have
everything they need to finish the job and feel like their work is complete.
 Conduct a Retrospective or Review of How the Process Went. Once your
strategy has been fully implemented, look back on the process and evaluate
how things went

As you set and prioritize strategic goals, remember that your strategy should always be
evolving. As circumstances and challenges shift, so must your organizational strategy.

If you lead with purpose, a measurable and actionable vision, and an awareness of
current events, you can set strategic goals worth striving for.
4. What is the importance of Organization in management process and what would happen to
management without organizing?

A comprehensive approach to organizing helps the management in many ways.

Organizing aligns the various resources towards a common mission. Efficient Administration. It
brings together various departments by grouping similar and related jobs under a single
specialization. This establishes coordination between different departments, which leads to
unification of effort and harmony in work. Resource Optimization. Organizing ensures effective
role-job-fit for every employee in the organization. It helps in avoiding confusion and delays, as
well as duplication of work and overlapping of effort. Benefits Specialization. It is the process of
organizing groups and sub-divide the various activities and jobs based on the concept of division
of labor. This helps in the completion of maximum work in minimum time ensuring the benefit
of specialization. Promotes Effective Communication. Organizing is an important means of
creating coordination and communication among the various departments of the organization.
Different jobs and positions are interrelated by structural relationship. It specifies the channel
and mode of communication among different members. Creates Transparency. The jobs and
activities performed by the employees are clearly defined on the written document called job
description which details out what exactly has to be done in every job. Organizing fixes, the
authority-responsibility among employees. This brings in clarity and transparency in the
organization. Expansion and Growth. When resources are optimally utilized and there exists a
proper division of work among departments and employees, management can multiply its
strength and undertake more activities. Organizations can easily meet the challenges and can
expand their activities in a planned manner.

A lack of organization weakens the collaborative effort needed to have an efficient

employee development plan. The result is a company that is unable to maintain essential
employee job skills. When there is a weak organization, conflict can occur for several reasons.
Job-duty responsibility is not clearly defined, which can lead to conflicts over who will perform
the task and when it will get done. Conflict also arises in poor structures when people seek to
exert control within the organization when they may not have the authority. Without
organization responsibilities are often neglected. In a strong organization, responsibility is not
used as a vehicle for pointing fingers. It is used to identify areas within the organization that
need improvement, whether it be individuals that require further training or complete sections
of the organization that need restructuring. Without a corporate structure, this important
element of accountability can lead to a complete breakdown in company productivity.

5. It seems like there’s a lack of clarity with regards to roles and responsibilities. How can we
clarify the accountabilities of leaders at different levels of the organization?

For leaders to be accountable, they need to be committed to the business and its
people. They must take their role as people leaders seriously, building trust among team
members. Accountable leaders clearly communicate their goals and objectives and key results
(OKRs) to their teams to foster alignment and team focus. They accept responsibility when
things go wrong and give credit for success where it’s due.

Accountable leaders assess accountability in those below their level, too. Top-level
leadership, for instance, must hold middle managers accountable for their own commitment to
 the business, the workforce, and company culture. By addressing leaders who aren’t
accountable, they set standards for accountable leadership in the company.

Accountable leaders also foster team accountability by developing teams who are
capable of thinking critically about the company’s needs and how they can optimize their
contributions. Owning mistakes is a key aspect of accountability, and it’s also the first step to
learning from inevitable mistakes while continuing to move forward.

Being a leader should come with a set of defined roles and responsibilities. Add an
additional layer of accountability with leadership mentoring programs. Middle managers should
have a mentor in a higher-level leadership role to help keep them on track. Leaders at the top
should have an executive coach or mentor to support their personal growth.

6. Is our organizational structure aligned with our work process- or is the structure an obstacle to
work process effectiveness? Why?

Goodluck!