Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Politeness Strategy and Power in an Organization : Orders/ Requests From The Superior to the Subordinates

POLITENESS STRATEGY AND POWER IN AN
ORGANIZATION: ORDERS/REQUESTS FROM THE
SUPERIOR TO THE SUBORDINATE

Titania Tabita Oktriana
Abstract
This study is about the use of politeness strategy in an organization in the
context of giving orders and making requests from the superior to the subordinate.
Different ages between the superior and the subordinate will be the focus case of
this study, which is when the superior is younger than the subordinate. Because
the superior has organizational power and the subordinates have social power. In
Indonesia itself, age difference is important in the society, because social norms in
Indonesia regulates the society to always respect the elder people.
This study aims to analyze whether there is politeness strategy used by the
superior or not and the type of politeness if there is any. The study had been done
in a religious organization, PHMJ GPIB Tamansari Salatiga. By recording three
weekly meetings, it is found out that the superior (head chief) used politeness
strategies while giving orders or asking requests to the subordinates. The indicator
is adapted from Brown and Levinson (1987) to indicate the politeness strategy
used by the superior. The strategy used by the superior is positive politeness and it
is assumed that the superior want to have a good interpersonal relationship with

the subordinates. Then, the result proved that the superior tend to pay attention
more to the society power rather than keep her organization power.
Key words: Politeness strategy, Order/request, Superior, Subordinate, Power