Power and the Changing Environment

Abstract

The exercise presented integrates the basic power model and environmental change drivers. The exercise incorporates an innovative teaching approach to demonstrate how power is gained and lost as the organization’s environment changes. In addition to developing students’ interpersonal group skills and reinforcing the theories of power and change, the exercise bridges the organizational behavior and organizational theory concepts of power and the changing environment. This article provides a brief summary of the power model, a brief review of the four environmental change drivers, instructions for facilitating and processing the exercise, and a classroom handout.