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Robbins & JudgeOrganizational Behavior13th EditionChapter 14: Power and Politics

Student Study SlideshowBob StretchSouthwestern College14-* 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter Learning ObjectivesAfter studying this chapter, you should be able to:Define power, and contrast leadership and power.Contrast the five bases of power.Identify nine power or influence tactics and their contingencies.Show the connection between sexual harassment and the abuse of power.Distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate political behavior.Identify the causes and consequences of political behavior.Apply impression management techniques.Determine whether a political action is ethical.Show the influence of culture on the uses and perceptions of politics.14-* 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.


A Definition of PowerPowerThe capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with As wishesExists as a potential or fully actualized influence over a dependent relationshipDependencyBs relationship to A when A possesses something that B requiresThe greater B's dependence, the more power A has

2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Contrasting Leadership and PowerLeadershipFocuses on goal achievementRequires goal compatibility with followersFocuses influence downward

Research FocusLeadership styles and relationships with followersPowerUsed as a means for achieving goalsRequires follower dependencyUsed to gain lateral and upward influence

Research FocusPower tactics for gaining compliance 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Bases of Power: Formal PowerFormal PowerEstablished by an individuals position in an organizationThree bases:Coercive PowerA power base dependent on fear of negative resultsReward PowerCompliance achieved based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuableLegitimate PowerThe formal authority to control and use resources based on a persons position in the formal hierarchy



Bases of Power: Personal PowerPower that comes from an individuals unique characteristics these are the most effectiveExpert PowerInfluence based on special skills or knowledgeReferent PowerInfluence based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits



Dependency: The Key To PowerThe General Dependency PostulateThe greater Bs dependency on A, the greater the power A has over BPossession/control of scarce organizational resources that others need makes a manager powerfulAccess to optional resources (e.g., multiple suppliers) reduces the resource holders powerDependency increases when resources are:ImportantScarceNonsubstitutable



Power TacticsPower TacticsWays in which individuals translate power bases into specific actionsNine influence tactics:LegitimacyRational persuasion*Inspirational appeals*Consultation*ExchangePersonal appealsIngratiationPressureCoalitions

2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-** Most effective (Pressure is the least effective)


Preferred Power Tactics by Influence Direction

Exhibit 14-2 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*

Upward Influence Downward Influence Lateral InfluenceRational persuasion Rational persuasion Rational persuasion Inspirational appeals Consultation PressureIngratiation Consultation ExchangeIngratiation LegitimacyExchangePersonal appealsLegitimacyCoalitions


Factors Influencing Power TacticsChoice and effectiveness of influence tactics are moderated by:Sequencing of tacticsSofter to harder tactics work bestPolitical skill of the userThe culture of the organizationCulture affects users choice of tactic



Sexual Harassment: A Case of Unequal PowerSexual Harassment:Any unwanted activity of a sexual nature that affects an individuals employment and creates a hostile work environmentOvert actions, like unwanted touching, are relatively easy to spotSubtle actions, like jokes or looks, can cross over the line into harassment Sexual harassment isnt about sex: it is about abusing an unequal power relationshipHarassment can damage the well-being of the individual, work group, and organization



Managerial Actions to Prevent Sexual 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.



Politics: Power in ActionPolitical BehaviorActivities that are not required as part of ones formal role in the organization, but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages or disadvantages within the organization

Legitimate Political BehaviorNormal everyday politics - complaining, bypassing, obstructingIllegitimate Political BehaviorExtreme political behavior that violates the implied rules of the game: sabotage, whistle-blowing, and symbolic protest



The Reality of PoliticsPolitics is a natural result of resource scarcityLimited resources lead to competition and political behaviorsJudgments on quality differ markedly based on the observers perceptionBlaming others or fixing responsibilityCovering your rear or documenting decisionsPerfectionist or attentive to detailMost decisions are made under ambiguous conditionsLack of an objective standard encourages political maneuvering of subjective reality 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Causes and Consequences of Political BehaviorFactors that Influence Political BehaviorSee Exhibit 14-4Employee Responses to Organizational PoliticsMost employees have low to modest willingness to play politics and have the following reactions to politics:See Exhibit 14-5 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Defensive BehaviorsEmployees who perceive politics as a threat have defensive reactionsMay be helpful in the short run, dangerous in the long runTypes of defensive behaviorsAvoiding ActionOver-conforming, buck-passing, playing dumb, stallingAvoiding BlameBluffing, playing safe, justifying, scapegoatingAvoiding ChangePrevention, self-protection 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Impression Management (IM)The process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of themIM TechniquesConformityExcusesApologiesSelf-PromotionFlatteryFavorsAssociationExhibit 14-7 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


IM EffectivenessJob Interview Success IM does work and most people use itSelf-promotion techniques are importantIngratiation is of secondary importancePerformance EvaluationsIngratiation is positively related to ratingsSelf-promotion tends to backfire



The Ethics of Behaving PoliticallyIt is difficulty to tell ethical from unethical politickingThree questions help:What is the utility of engaging in the behavior? Does the utility balance out any harm done by the action? Does the action conform to standards of equity and justice? Answers can be skewed toward either viewpoint 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Global ImplicationsPolitics PerceptionsNegative consequences to the perception of politics seem to be fairly widespread

Preference for Power TacticsThe choice of effective tactics is heavily dependent on the culture of the country in which they are to be used

Effectiveness of Power TacticsStill open to debate; too little research has been done 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


Summary and Managerial ImplicationsIncrease your power by having others depend on you more.Expert and referent power are far more effective than is coercion.Greater employee motivation, performance, commitment, and satisfactionPersonal power basis, not organizationalEffective managers accept the political nature of organizations.Political astuteness and IM can result in higher evaluations, salary increases, and promotions. 2009 Prentice-Hall Inc. All rights reserved.14-*


All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

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Documents

bases of power

power bases

abuse of power

power tacticspower tacticsways

influence tactics

organizationthree bases

optional resources

actualized influence