Explain factors which result in a power imbalance in professional supervision Power imbalance refers to a state where one worker in a correlation possesses comparatively excess power in excess of the others. Power is a social structure according to power-dependence theory.
Imbalance in power is a significant factor for subordinate-supervisor relationships (Davys, &Beddoe, 2010). Power is an important contextual consideration due to the assumption by researchers that supervisor subordinate relationships are maintained by both sides. However, it is obvious that the supervisors hold much power. There are two main types of power personal and organisational.
Personal refers to the knowledge,skills and competence associated with an individual which makes them an expert.As an expert the individual can exert a certain amount of power in various situations,as in the teacher- learner relationship.Organisational power can be one of four types:Reward power as in pay,promotion or praise,Coercive power is a negative form of the above-punishment,disciplinary procedures,Legitimate power when the incumbent has authority,Information power-has special knowledge which is valued by the other staff or supervisees.
