Influence Levels
Influence is almost always an asymmetrical affair. From a viewpoint of the guiding process decision orientation this plays an important role. An organisation, whose customers must purchase from them, as there is no alternative, will not have to adjust so much to the customer’s wishes. The system, which has influence in the sense of power, is always that one which needs the other less (car manufacturer versus supplier). Therefore, the highest importance is accorded to the efficient shaping of dependence (=motivation of the environments on which one depends) and the maintaining of independence (=ability to change the environment). Often, both requirements stand in a relationship of tension with each other (Who, after all, likes being replaceable?). These tension and dependency relationships are the impetus for game theory research about cooperation, competitions, circularity and win-win strategies.
In this, what is particularly important is the difference between ‘finite and infinite games’. To put this into everyday language: “You usually meet twice in life!”. What is understood by this is that the unilateral exploitation of influences can easily avenge itself, if the asymmetry occurs the other way around at a later point in time.