ABSTRACT
Power has intrigued researchers from various disciplines for centuries, researchers of organizational studies being no exception to its allure. Having been identified as a central element of leadership and management, power has been defined in various ways incorporating soft and hard aspects. This chapter attempts to explore negative aspects of power in the context of organization studies and identify some of the salient organizational repercussions. Following an overview of the conceptual roots of the study of power, the chapter offers a discussion on the most frequently employed power bases by extrapolating their potential implications for the workplace. Later, the chapter offers a general evaluation on power pathologies like hubris syndrome, the abuse of power and resistance as well as how these former associates with bases of power. A systematic discussion on different facades of power will always be relevant and up to date so long as organizations and human societies exist.
