Title: Supervisory power and reverse incremental influence: an investigative approach

Authors: Gowhar Rasool; Anjali Pathania

Addresses: School of Business Studies, Central University of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India ' School of Business Studies, Central University of Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Abstract: The present study examined the diverse dimensions of supervisory power at the workplace and its influence on employee job outcomes. Unlike most of the studies in this area, the present research considered the revised power taxonomy and comprehensive job outcome variables. Based on theory as well as empirical investigations on influence of power and organisational behaviour, the study predicted positive incremental influence (either powers treated separately or in additive combination) on employee job outcomes. This hypothesis was tested in a field study in an Indian context. The analysis revealed that negative forms of expert and referent power explained approximately 89% of power as an independent construct. The results bring out a newer dimension to this field of study by looking at the contrasting effects of idiosyncratic negative referent and expert power in combination with nomothetic coercive power, which unlike creating a positive incremental influence resulted in reverse (negative) incremental influence.

Keywords: power influence; change; negative expert; negative referent; reverse incremental influence.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2023.130609

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2023 Vol.19 No.3/4/5, pp.195 - 217

Received: 06 Feb 2020
Accepted: 01 Nov 2020
Published online: 02 May 2023 *

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