TASK INTERDEPENDENCE AND PERSONAL POWER IN TEAMS

The project investigated the power dynamics in preexisting corporate r esearch and development teams using a network-based methodology. Emers on's (1962) exchange-based power-dependence theory was used to formula te guiding hypotheses. fn addition, Thompson's (1967) typology of orga nizational interdependence was used to differentiate between types of task interdependence. Power was operationalized as the amount of influ ence each member exerted aborts decisions regarding coworkers and/or t he ham. Heightened task dependence was expected to negatively affect p ersonal power: The different kinds of task interdependence were found to have very different power implications. Thompson's distinction betw een sequential and reciprocal task interdependence was necessary to un tangle the underlying power-dependence processes. Furthermore, the fin dings leave much to be explained and might suggest the need to conside r additional interdependence dynamics and/or alternative exchange fram eworks to more accurately account for the personal power dynamics in t he collective context of formal organizations.