Legitimate power is authority given to an individual on the basis of a given role or position. There are three bases of legitimate power: culture, social structure, and delegation of power. In some cultures, certain groups are granted the right to prescribe behavior for others. For example, in some cultures, the elders or one sex is granted the power to demand conformity of behavior by others. Social structure is the second basis for legitimate power. In formal organizations, this power is granted by the position that someone holds in the company’s hierarchy. The third base of legitimate power is delegation of the power by the legitimizing agent. For example, a department manager may accept the authority of a vice president in certain areas because the organization’s president has specifically delegated the authority to the vice president. It is important to remember that O holds legitimate power only if P accepts O as holding a legitimate power position.  LO1.1