Power and Politics

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 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
Bs relationship to A when A
possesses something that B
requires

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 Organization’s
Organization’s Politics
Politics
 If power is a force, a store of potential influence through
which events can be affected, politics involves those
activities or behaviors through which power is developed
and used in organizational settings.
 “Power is a property of the system at rest; politics is
the study of power in action.”
 Organizational politics refers to a variety of activities
associated with the use of influence tactics to improve
personal or organizational interests
 Studies show that individuals with political skills tend to
do better in gaining more personal power as well
as managing stress and job demands, than their
politically naive counterparts
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 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 influence
downward  Research Focus
 Research Focus – Power tactics for
– Leadership styles gaining compliance
and relationships with
followers

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 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

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 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

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 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

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Source: Drawing by Leo Cullum in The New Yorker, copyright ©1986
The New Yorker Magazine. Reprinted by permission.
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
 Dependency:
Dependency: The
The Key
Key To
To Power
Power
 The General Dependency Postulate
– The greater Bs 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

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 Power
Power Tactics
Tactics
Power Tactics Influence
InfluenceTactics
Tactics
Ways in which individuals •• Legitimacy
Legitimacy
translate power bases into •• Rational
specific actions Rationalpersuasion
persuasion
•• Inspirational
Inspirationalappeals
appeals
•• Consultation
Consultation
•• Exchange
Exchange
•• Personal
Personalappeals
appeals
•• Ingratiation
Ingratiation
•• Pressure
Pressure
•• Coalitions
Coalitions
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 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
work best – Is the request consistent
 Skillful use of a tactic with the target’s values?
 Relative power of the tactic  The culture of the
user organization
– Some tactics work better – Culture affects user’s
when applied downward choice of tactic
or upward  Country-specific cultural
 The type of request factors
attaching to the tactic – Local values favor
– Is the request legitimate? certain tactics over
others

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 Power
Power in
in Groups:
Groups: Coalitions
Coalitions
Coalitions
• • Seek
Seektotomaximize
maximizetheir
theirsize
size
Clusters of individuals who totoattain
attaininfluence
influence
temporarily come together
• • Seek
Seekaabroad
broadand
anddiverse
diverse
to achieve a specific
constituency
constituencyfor
forsupport
supportofof
purpose their
theirobjectives
objectives
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyinin
organizations
organizationswith
withhigh
high
task
taskand
andresource
resourceinter-
inter-
dependencies
dependencies
• • Occur
Occurmore
morefrequently
frequentlyifif
tasks
tasksare
arestandardized
standardizedand and
routine
routine

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 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”

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Steps
Steps for
for Managers
Managers to
to Take
Take to
to Prevent
Prevent
Sexual
Sexual Harassment
Harassment
 Make sure a policy against it is in place.
 Ensure that employees will not encounter retaliation if
they file a complaint.
 Investigate every complaint and include the human
resource and legal departments.
 Make sure offenders are disciplined or terminated.
 Set up in-house seminars and training.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 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
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 Politics
Politics Is
Is in
in the
the Eye
Eye of
of the
the Beholder
Beholder
“Political” Label “Effective Management” Label
1. Blaming others vs. Fixing responsibility
2. “Kissing up” vs. Developing working relationships
3. Apple polishing vs. Demonstrating loyalty
4. Passing the buck vs. Delegating authority
5. Covering your rear vs. Documenting decisions
6. Creating conflict vs. Encouraging change and innovation
7. Forming coalitions vs. Facilitating teamwork
8. Whistle blowing vs. Improving efficiency
9. Scheming vs. Planning ahead
10. Overachieving vs. Competent and capable
11. Ambitious vs. Career-minded Source: Based on T. C. Krell, M. E.
Mendenhall, and J. Sendry, “Doing
12. Opportunistic vs. Astute Research in the Conceptual Morass
of Organizational Politics,” paper
13. Cunning vs. Practical-minded presented at the Western Academy of
Management Conference, Hollywood,
14. Arrogant vs. Confident CA, April 1987.

15. Perfectionist vs. Attentive to detail

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 Factors
Factors that
that Influence
Influence Political
Political Behaviors
Behaviors

https://opentextbc.ca/organizationalbehavioropenstax/chapter/political-b
ehavior-in-organizations/#ch13rfin-16

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Employee
Employee Responses
Responses to
to Organizational
Organizational
Politics
Politics

E X H I B I T 14-5
E X H I B I T 14-5

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 Defensive
Defensive Behaviors
Behaviors

Avoiding
AvoidingAction
Action
•• Overconforming
Overconforming
•• Buck Avoiding
AvoidingBlame
Blame
Buckpassing
passing
•• Playing •• Buffing
Buffing
Playingdumb
dumb Avoiding
AvoidingChange
Change
•• Stretching •• Playing
Playingsafe
safe
Stretching •• Prevention
Prevention
•• Stalling •• Justifying
Justifying
Stalling •• Self-protection
Self-protection
•• Scapegoating
Scapegoating
•• Misrepresenting
Misrepresenting

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 Is
Is aa Political
Political Action
Action Ethical?
Ethical?

1. What is the utility of

engaging in the
behavior?
2. Does the utility balance
out any harm done by
the action?
3. Does the action
conform to standards of
equity and justice?

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter
Chapter Check-up:
Check-up: Power
Power and
and Politics
Politics

Write down two differences between power

and leadership. Discuss with a classmate.

Do
Doall
allleaders
leadershave
havepower?
power?Does
Does everyone
everyonewith
with
power
power lead
leadothers?
others?Discuss.
Discuss.
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter
Chapter Check-up:
Check-up: Power
Power and
and Politics
Politics

When you go to work, what three things

can you do to make people in your
organization dependent on you? Write
down your answers on a sheet of paper.

Discuss
Discussyour
your answers
answerswith
withyour
yourneighbor.
neighbor. Do
Doyou
youthink
think
it’s
it’sbad
badto
toplan
planhow
howyou’ll
you’llget
getpower
powerover
over others?
others?

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Chapter
Chapter Check-up:
Check-up: Power
Power and
and Politics
Politics

What is the difference between a power

tactic and an influence tactic? Discuss
with a neighbor.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.