Power-related Resources in Companies: Which is perceived as the most powerful?

Abstract

Leadership is a topic of increased interest over the past decades and adjustments were made on this level because of different generations appearing in the labor market. In detail, different reactions to the question, which power related resources are recognized the most in the respective work environment, are compared. These reactions are derived from semi-standardized interview material. The results show that legality, which stands for the power due to position, is still the most recognized resource. But also, a trend from Baby Boomer generation to generation Y can be derived and due to this, the anticipation is made that the mentioned resource will be less important in the future. Therefore, upcoming employees will be more open to a wider understanding over power possession in companies which means: to have power in a company does not necessarily include a leadership position.