ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview and a discussion on elements, negotiation application, and limitations of negotiation power. Social power is the term used to describe the types available to an individual that could be applied to influence others. One of the most credible studies on social power was conducted by psychologists John French and Bertram Raven in the late 1950s. Their original research looked at the perceived power in a dyadic relationship. French and Raven initially identified six categories of power; however, over time this has been distilled down to the five 'primary powers' classification, which has proved to be a more popular grouping. The five primary powers are commonly regarded as: reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, expert power, and referent power. Research suggests that the most effective leaders use mainly referent and expert power, which is aligned to personality and experience, also sometimes referred to as 'personal power'.
