Chapter 13

Power and Politics

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
S T E P H E N P. R O B B I N S
E L E V E N T H E D I T I O N
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. WWW.PRENHALL.COM/ROBBINS PowerPoint
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Charlie Cook
Cook
 AA Definition
Definition of
of Power
Power

Power
A capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B
so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes.

Dependency
B’s relationship to A when A possesses something
that B requires.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–2

 Contrasting
Contrasting Leadership
Leadership and
and Power
Power
 Leadership  Power
– Focuses on goal – Used as a means for
achievement. achieving goals.
– Requires goal – Requires follower
compatibility with dependency.
followers. – Used to gain lateral
– Focuses influence and upward
downward. influence.
 Research Focus  Research Focus
– Leadership styles – Power tactics for
and relationships gaining compliance
with followers

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–3

 Bases
Bases of
of Power:
Power: Formal
Formal Power
Power
Formal Power
Is established by an individual’s position in an
organization; conveys the ability to coerce or
reward, from formal authority, or from control of
information.

Coercive Power
A power base dependent on fear.

Reward Power
Compliance achieved based on the ability to
distribute rewards that others view as valuable

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–4

 Bases
Bases of
of Power:
Power: Formal
Formal Power
Power (cont’d)
(cont’d)

Legitimate Power
The power a person receives as a result of his or her
position in the formal hierarchy of an organization.

Information Power
Power that comes from access to and control over
information.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–5

 Bases
Bases of
of Power:
Power: Personal
Personal Power
Power
Expert Power
Influence based on special skills or knowledge.

Referent Power
Influence based on possession by an individual of
desirable resources or personal traits.

Charismatic Power
An extension of referent power stemming from an
individual’s personality and interpersonal style.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–6

 Dependency:
Dependency: The
The Key
Key To
To Power
Power
 The General Dependency Postulate
– The greater B’s dependency on A, the greater the
power A has over B.
– Possession/control of scarce organizational resources
that others need makes a manager powerful.
– Access to optional resources (e.g., multiple suppliers)
reduces the resource holder’s power.
 What Creates Dependency
– Importance of the resource to the organization
– Scarcity of the resource
– Nonsubstitutability of the resource

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–7

 Power
Power Tactics
Tactics

Power Tactics
Influence
InfluenceTactics
Tactics: :
Ways in which • • Legitimacy
Legitimacy
individuals translate
• • Rational
Rationalpersuasion
power bases into persuasion
specific actions. • • Inspirational
Inspirationalappeals
appeals
• • Consultation
Consultation
• • Exchange
Exchange
• • Personal
Personalappeals
appeals
• • Ingratiation
Ingratiation
• • Pressure
Pressure
• • Coalitions
Coalitions
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–8
 Factors
Factors Influencing
Influencing the
the Choice
Choice and
and
Effectiveness
Effectiveness of
of Power
Power Tactics
Tactics
 Sequencing of tactics  How the request is
– Softer to harder tactics perceived
works best. – Is the request accepted
 Skillful use of a tactic as ethical?
– Experienced users are  The culture of the
more successful. organization
 Relative power of the – Culture affects user’s
tactic user choice of tactic
– Some tactics work better  Country-specific cultural
when applied downward. factors
 The type of request – Local values favor certain
attaching to the tactic tactics over others.
– Is the request legitimate?

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–9

 Power
Power in
in Groups:
Groups: Coalitions
Coalitions

Coalitions
• • Seek
Seektotomaximize
maximizetheir
their
Clusters of individuals size
sizeto
toattain
attaininfluence.
influence.
who temporarily come • • Seek
Seekaabroad
broadand
anddiverse
diverse
together to a achieve a constituency
constituencyforforsupport
support
specific purpose. of
oftheir
theirobjectives.
objectives.
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyinin
organizations
organizationswith
withhigh
high
task
taskand
andresource
resource
interdependencies.
interdependencies.
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyifif
tasks
tasksare
arestandardized
standardized
and
androutine.
routine.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–10

 Sexual
Sexual Harassment:
Harassment: Unequal
Unequal Power
Power in
in the
the
Workplace
Workplace
Sexual Harassment
– Unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, and
other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
The U.S. Supreme Court test for determining if
sexual harassment has occurred:
– whether comments or behavior in a work environment
“would reasonably be perceived, and is perceived, as
hostile or abusive.”

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–11

 Politics:
Politics: Power
Power in
in Action
Action
Political Behavior
Activities that are not required as part of one’s
formal role in the organization, but that influence, or
attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages
or disadvantages within the organization.

Legitimate Political Behavior

Normal everyday politics.

Illegitimate Political Behavior

Extreme political behavior that violates the implied
rules of the game.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved. 13–12