QUESTION

Master level please

Long-term employees may find themselves motivated by loyalty to their superiors rather than the mission of the organization. This phenomenon seems to be more likely in criminal justice organizations than in private organizations.

1. What is the inherent factor that causes employees in criminal justice organizations to implement such levels of personal loyalty at the expense of justice?
2. What are the benefits and hazards of such a system of loyalty?
3. In which arm of criminal justice is this loyalty to superiors most detrimental to the system? Why?
4. As a leader, what changes would you make to ensure that all officers collectively followed the law and remained true to the organization’s mission, instead of personally developing their individual system of improving their work environments?

Types of Power

When an entity is seen as having expert knowledge which then gets accepted as common knowledge, it

has power. According to research done by French and Raven, power has 􀃖ve bases:

Legitimate Power is formal authority delegated to the holder of the position. For instance,

legitimate power is held by the Superintendent of a police force.

Referent Power means the power or ability of individuals to persuade and in􀃗uence others. It’s

based on the charisma and interpersonal skills of the power holder. For instance, in a group of

inmates, referent power might be held by the inmate who “knows the ropes” and guides the others

in how to deal with prison guards.

Expert Power is usually highly speci􀃖c and limited to the particular area in which the expert is

trained and quali􀃖ed. For instance, the power a surgeon with 25 years of surgical experience has

over surgeons with a year of experience is an example of expert power.

Reward Power refers to the degree to which the individual can give others a reward of some kind

such as bene􀃖ts, time off, desired gifts, promotions, or increases in pay or responsibility. This is the

kind of power wielded by an employer at a workplace.

Coercive Power involves the application of negative in􀃗uences onto employees. It includes the

ability of the power holder to withdraw rewards. It’s the desire for valued rewards or the fear of

having them withheld that ensures the obedience of those under power. This power is the type of

power wielded by prison guards at a prison facility.

Power is a sensitive subject as the misuse of it can bring about extremely negative consequences for

organizations and individuals. However, power used sensibly can bring about extremely useful

developments.

Power

Power is a concept that is dif􀃖cult to de􀃖ne because it has so many connotations. It can be

conceptualized as a situation within a social relationship (two or more people), where there is an

opportunity to carry out one’s own will, even against resistance, and regardless of where the

opportunity arises from.

Power has been differentiated from force in that the latter is usually seen as coercion—a negative

feature. A good way to understand power is by recognizing that it is a type of in􀃗uence—intended

in􀃗uence. Also, this in􀃗uence has the ability to bring about change, through the actions of the self or

others.

Interestingly, in the analysis of power is the concept of reciprocity. A leader who wields power over his

subordinates because he controls their progress and wages is also in certain ways controlled by them.

His power is determined by how much they respect him, how hard they are willing to work, and whether

they leave or stay.

The understanding of power can be gauged from a number of theories. One such theory is the Rational

Choice Theory. According to this theory, individuals are actors who choose actions from a “choice set” in

order to accomplish goals. The incentive structure available to the actor consists of the likelihood that

certain actions will lead to certain outcomes. The belief that an actor can bring about desired outcomes

is known as outcome power.

Social power is the belief that the actor can bring about a change in the others’ incentive structures. To

the extent that these two outcomes occur, power is wielded. Another theory of power was based on

Foucault’s views. According to him, power is acting in ways that interfere with the actions of others. He

believed that there was a strong relationship between power and knowledge.

Theories of Motivation

Let’s explore some of the more helpful theories of motivation:

Traditional Theory “x”—Sigmund Freud: This theory states that people are intrinsically lazy and

unmotivated and can never really achieve anything. In order to make them work hard and be successful,

they have to be constantly coerced and cajoled into working. This is what motivation is based on.

However, this theory has been looked at rather unfavorably because it holds such a negative view of

humanity.

Theory “Y”—McGregor: This theory contradicts Freud’s theory. Theory “Y” says that people are selfmotivated

by the need to learn, evolve, and develop. It is this need that helps them be competitive in a

healthy manner but also be dedicated to the goal of constant improvement and betterment.

Hygiene/Motivator Theory—Herzberg: This theory states that people work in their own selfenlightened

interest because they achieve true ful_llment from work performance. However, people

have two types of needs. Hygiene needs are those such as supervision, interpersonal relations,

remuneration, and working conditions. Human needs are recognition, appreciation, responsibility, and

advancement. If hygiene factors are unsatisfactory, motivation is reduced, but if they are high,

motivation also rises substantially. Therefore, agreeable working conditions, consistent appreciation,

and a fair salary help ensure that you will have a highly motivated workforce.

Expectancy Theory—Victor Vroom: The basis of this theory lies in the Contingency approach of

leadership which helps link motivation to leadership. Leadership needs to be tailored to suit speci_c

situations. For instance, some workers require a lot of direction while some work best without

supervision. Similarly, with regard to motivation, it is important to reinforce workers with what they

consider important, not what the supervisor considers important. For some workers, high salary

matters, while for others, simple appreciation matters. Essentially, this theory focuses on the fact that

individual goals affect work performance and attitude toward work.

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