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Organizational Theory,Design, and Change
Sixth Edition
Gareth R. Jones
Chapter 14
Managing Conflict,
Power, and Politics
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What is Organizational Conflict?
Organizational Conflict:The clash that occurswhen the goal-directed behavior of one groupblocks or thwarts the goals of another
Some conflict can actually improve organizationaleffectiveness
Can overcome inertia and lead to learning and change
Beyond a certain point, conflict becomes a causefor organizational decline
Conflict leads to inability to reach consensus andindecision
Too much time spent on bargaining rather than actingswiftly to resolve problems
On balance, organizations should be open toconflict and recognize its value
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Figure 14.1: Cooperation and CompetitionAmong Organizational Stakeholders
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Managing Conflict:Resolution Strategies
Organizational conflict can escalate rapidlyand sour an organizations culture
Managing conflict is an important priority
Organizations must balance the need tohave some good conflict without letting itescalate into bad conflict
Choice of conflict-resolution method
depends on the source of the problem
Conflict can be reduced by structural andattitudinal changes within the organization
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Managing Conflict:Resolution Strategies
Acting at the level of structure Alter the level of differentiation and integration
to change relationships Increase the number of integrating roles
Assign top managers to solve conflict Rethink hierarchy/reporting relationships
Acting at the level of attitudes andindividuals
Establish procedures for airing grievances Bargaining and negotiation Exchange/rotate/terminate individuals Replace members of top management CEOs can also use their power to resolve
conflicts and motivate units to cooperate
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What isOrganizational Power? Organizational power:the ability of one
person or group to overcome resistance byothers to achieve a desired objective orresult
Conflict and power are intimately related Power can come from many different sources
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Sources ofOrganizational Power
Authority:power that is legitimizedby the legal and cultural foundationson which an organization is based
Control over resources:as theorganization controls more and moreresources in its environment, powerwithin an organization comes from thecontrol of resources
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Sources of OrganizationalPower (cont.)
Control over information: accessto strategic information and thecontrol of the information are sources
of considerable power
Nonsubstitutability:if no one elsecan perform the tasks that a person
or subunit performs, that person orsubunit is nonsubstitutable
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Sources of OrganizationalPower (cont.) Centrality: the subunits that are
most central to resource flows havethe ability to reduce the uncertainty
facing other subunits Control over uncertainty: a
subunit that can actually control theprincipal sources of uncertainty has
significant power Changes in contingencies facing the
organization alter which subunits havethis power
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Sources of OrganizationalPower (cont.) Unobtrusive power: controlling the
premises of decision making
Unobtrusive power:the power
flowing from the ability to control thepremises behind decision making
The power of a coalition resides in itsability to control the assumptions, goals,norms, or values that managers use to
judge alternative solutions to a problem
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Using Power:Organizational Politics
Organizational politics:activitiestaken within organizations to acquire,develop, and use power and other
resources to obtain ones preferredoutcomes in a situation in which thereis uncertainty or disagreement about
choices There are many tactics for playing politics
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Using Power:Tactics for Playing Politics Increasing indispensability:become
indispensable to the organization
Increasing nonsubstitutability:developspecialized skills or knowledge that enables one
to control a crucial contingency facing theorganization
Increasing centrality:accept responsibilitiesthat enhance ones reputation or that of ones
function
Associating with powerful managers:
supporting a powerful manager who is clearly
on the way to the top
U i P T ti f
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Using Power: Tactics forPlaying Politics (cont.)
Building and managing coalitions Forming relationships with stakeholders and
other subunits around some common issue
Skills in coalition building are important
Influencing decision making Must be circumspect in the use of power
Controlling the agenda By setting the agenda, managers can control
the issues and problems to be considered Bringing in an outside expert
Use supposedly neutral outsiders to support theviews of the coalitions