Some Determinants and Consequences of Power Distribution in Decision-Making Groups.

This dissertation address concerns the distribution of influence in decision-making groups. One general hypothesis of the study was that influence perceptions of group members depend upon the phases of decision-making in which they participate. Another was that the effects of participation would vary with the nature of the decision task or with issues to be resolved. Referencing the size of the "influence pie", total intragroup influence was predicted to be greater in facilitative than in contrastive conditions. Finally, the relationships between perceived influence and satisfaction, and between participation and satisfaction, were seen to be dependent on individual differences in power and affiliation motivation. The summary includes that (1) a viable theory of power in organizations must take into account differences in organizational situations and the characteristics of individuals who perform organizational roles. For example, sex was found to determine perceptions of influence in varying participative settings; and (2) interpersonal power in a group or organizational setting is conceived of as an intervening process outcome, rather than a structural given or a terminal effect. (TA)