A Comparative Analysis Of The Power Between Governments And Enterprises

The government and the enterprise are the most influential and representative organizations in the political and economic areas respectively, there must be certain differences in the process of their powers' acquisition, configuration, operation as well as restriction and supervision due to different organizational objectives and nature. The comparative analysis of the differences between their powers is not only important to the study of organizational management, but also has inspiring significance to the theory and practice of public management in our country.For those reasons above, this paper will make a comparative analysis of the acquisition, configuration, operation, restriction and supervision of the power between governments and enterprises based on the comprehensive analysis.First, from the perspective of the acquisition, the power of government originates from the public commission, while the power of enterprises comes from the control of property. From the purpose of power's acquisition, the government's power is to safeguard the public interests while the enterprise's power is to ensure private interests and rights. From the basis of the two powers' acquisition, the power of the Government is supported by the violence which is not available in the enterprises. Moreover, resources controlled by the government are more than those controlled by the enterprise. Finally, the level of systematization of the government is much higher than that of the enterprise. From the way to get power, the government can acquire it through violence, inheritance, and other forms of electoral empowerment, while the enterprise mainly through the control of property rights or get the power granted by the government.Second, from the perspective of the power distribution, there are differences in term of power's horizontal configuration, vertical configuration and the stability of the power's structure between the government and the enterprise. Specifically, from the horizontal configuration, the government is more inclined to divide the power in order to prevent its concentration. However, for the pursuit of efficiency, the power in the enterprise is centered to the manager. From the vertical configuration, the extension of power and the complexity of vertical structure in the government are far more than those in the enterprise. From the stability of the power structure, due to their different environment, the power's structure of the government is more stable than that of the enterprise.Third, from the perspective of the operation, the government and the enterprise are different in the process of entrusting power to the agency, as demonstrated in the initial client, level of the agency, the diversification of the objectives and etc. On this basis, this paper makes further comparison of power implementation from the perspective of decision-making and enforcement.Fourth, the operation of power in the government must be strictly restricted by laws and regulations, that is to say, the government can not take action without authorization, but the enterprise is otherwise. Meanwhile, at the operation of the power, the government should be supervised by the public. In addition, it is difficult and costs more to supervise the government than the enterprise.Finally, the author concludes the differences above and points out the strength that governments and enterprises can learn from each other as well as the issues we should take care in the process of power application in the government and the enterprise.