ms of power which do not necessarily involve evident conflict. People abide by the power of authority because they either respect or accept its legitimacy. Compliance to the power of manipulation often goes unrecognized by the conformer because focus is placed on irrelevant matters and the key aim is downplayed. In neither is there observable (overt or covert) conflict, but latent conflict occurs because the individual may be agreeing to something contrary to their interests without even knowing. The three dimensional view of power then, criticizes the behaviourial focus of the first two dimensions and adopts the consideration of hidden social forces and conflict which exercise influence by shaping the consciousness of the individual or organization. This view strays from the others in that it focuses not only on decisions and nondecisions but on other ways to control the political agenda which are not made deliberately by the choice of individuals or groups. The third mechanism of power seeks to identify "the means through which power influences, shapes or determines conceptions of necessities, possibilities, and strategies of challenge in situation of conflict"(Gaventa,1980:15). In other words, it involves specifying how A gets B to believe and choose to act in a way that reinforces the bias of the system, advancing the cause of A and impairing that of B, usually in the form of compliance. Such processes can take place in a direct and intended way through media and communication. 'A' takes control of the information c...
