V. SUGGESTED DISPUTE SETTLEMENT POLICY
An effective dispute settlement policy mechanism for the FAA in the 1990s must be based on the concept of power sharing. Power is a concept with which organizational behaviorists have long been concerned (McDermott, 1985). The use of power within organizations is most often perceived as a practice employed by one individual to overcome the resistance of another, as a means of attaining an organizational goal (Pfeffer, 1981). In the context of this perception, power differences are thought to create problems within organizations, because such power differences lead to the development of organizational conflicts (Tjosvold, 1985).
Conflicts are typically thought to be essential, as a means of providing a setting where power many be employed (Lawrence, and Lorsch, 1986). This assumption is, to a degree, paradoxical, in that power differences are also thought to be one cause of organizational conflict. Nevertheless, the typi cal train of thought is that the use of power is necessary for the attainment of organizational goals, and the presence of some degree of conflict is necessary in order for power to be employed effectively (Hardy, 1985). Power in organizations is then, according to this theory, used to overcome conflict, and
cause other individuals to act in a constructive manner to bring about a desirable outcome (Salancik, and Pfeffer, 1974).
The above concept of organizational power is often refer red to as overt power. The existence has been suggested of a second form of organizational power unobtrusive power. The application of unobtrusive power within organizations may prevent the development of organizational conflict, and may be used to attain organizational objectives as effectively as they may be attained through application of overt power.
It is conceivable, therefore, that managers who perceive and apply the concept of power in significantly diffe...