Lesedi’s Delights is a company owned by Lesedi Kekana and it is based in Atteridgeville. The company was registered in 2007. Lesedi, the owner, initially operated in a back room at her mom’s house. Her business was initially based on orders received from the local communities. The people in her township would order cakes, sandwiches and pies for their functions. Lesedi won a business award from the local business chamber in 2010 and she was given prize money of R250 000 for being the most promising entrepreneur. The award bought so much publicity that she started to struggle to fulfil orders.
Initially, she coped with this increase in orders with the help of her unemployed mother and her elder brother, who worked in Pretoria and assisted her with the deliveries after work. Some of her customers also fetched their own orders. As the business grew even more, she realised that she needed to employ at least two more people: an experienced baker and a reliable delivery person with a valid driver’s licence. Given the frequency and size of her orders, she could not afford to bring people in who could not hit the ground running in the two positions. From her recruitment process, she identified Natalie, a recently graduated hospitality student from a nearby university of technology. Natalie had also worked as an intern at a local confectionery. She also stayed in nearby Danville Township, which made travelling to work convenient.
Lesedi also identified Jonas as a suitable candidate for the driver position. He had worked for the same company for 30 years as a driver before the company closed when the owner relocated. Jonas was forced to retire at the age of 55.
Identify the type of power that Natalie and Jonas have as new employees.
Natalie and Jonas would hold two different types of power as new employees.
Natalie would hold expert power. This is due to her experience as a recently graduated hospitality student and her previous work as an intern at a local confectionery. Her expertise in baking and confectionery would make her valuable to the company and give her influence over decision-making in her area of expertise.
Jonas would hold referent power. This type of power is derived from the personal characteristics, charisma, and likeability of an individual. Jonas, having worked as a driver for 30 years before being forced to retire, would have accumulated knowledge, experiences, and relationships that make him influential within the company. His reputation and relationships with customers and suppliers would give him influence and power as a new employee.
Natalie, the recently graduated hospitality student, has expert power as a new employee. She possesses specific knowledge and skills in her field, having worked as an intern at a local confectionery and studied at a nearby university of technology. This expertise gives her influence and the ability to make valuable contributions to Lesedi's Delights.
On the other hand, Jonas, the retired driver with 30 years of experience, has referent power as a new employee. His long and successful career as a driver, combined with his age and experience, earns him respect and admiration from others. This makes him influential and persuasive within the organization.
The type of power that Natalie and Jonas have as new employees can be explained through the concept of "expert power" and "legitimate power."
1. Natalie, the recently graduated hospitality student and former intern at a local confectionery, possesses expert power. Expert power is derived from an individual's knowledge, skills, and expertise in a specific area. Natalie's expertise in the field of hospitality, including bakery and confectionery, makes her valuable to Lesedi's Delights. As a result, she can exert influence and power through her expertise, advice, and recommendations in areas related to baking, cake decoration, product quality, and customer service.
2. Jonas, on the other hand, possesses legitimate power. Legitimate power is derived from an individual's formal position or authority within an organization. In this case, Jonas has been hired for the driver position based on his experience as a driver and his valid driver's license. Lesedi, as the owner of the company, has given Jonas the authority and power to carry out his duties and responsibilities as a delivery person. Jonas can use his legitimate power to enforce rules, allocate resources, and make decisions related to his role as a driver.
In summary, Natalie has expert power based on her knowledge and skills in the hospitality industry, and Jonas has legitimate power based on his formal position and authority as a driver in Lesedi's Delights.