Power and Procedure: Gaining Legitimacy in the Workplace

• In Event: 2360 - Group Processes

Abstract

Authorities want to be effective, which requires the cooperation of subordinates in meeting organizational goals. Legitimated authorities (with social support and approval) are less likely to be challenged, resisted, or scrutinized and have greater leeway in their directives and actions. We uniquely bring together an identity-based approach stressing an authority’s use of fair decision-making procedures and a resource-based approach highlighting an authority’s use of power in a benevolent fashion as sources of legitimacy. We created eight versions of a workplace vignette, factorially combining: use of fair procedures (high/low) and power benevolently (high/low) as well as authority’s workplace experience (3 weeks/3 years). Adult study participants (400 males, 400 females) read one vignette, taking the role of a salesperson seeking a raise, and then responded to items measuring perceived interactional justice, trust, and legitimacy. Results show, as expected, procedural justice and benevolent power use exert positive effects on the perceived legitimacy of the manager and on mediating factors of interactional justice and trust. Experience level of the manager also positively affects perceived legitimacy. These findings highlight the nature of actions important to helping members of groups not typically holding positions of authority (e.g., women, minorities) to gain legitimacy and ensure effectiveness.

Authors

• Karen A. Hegtvedt, Emory University

• Cathryn Johnson, Emory University

• Jennifer Hayward, Emory University

• Ryan Gibson, Emory University