This document discusses organizational power and politics. It defines political behavior as using deception and dishonesty for self-interest, but notes that political behavior can also be used appropriately to serve organizational goals. Political behavior involves using power to influence decisions. The document also discusses the nature of organizational politics, domains of political activities, political tactics for using power, types of organizational power including legitimate, reward, coercive, expert and referent power. It notes power can come from formal positions, resources, control of information and decision premises, and network centrality. Horizontal power between departments can arise from strategic contingencies, dependency, financial resources, and coping with uncertainty.
2. Organizational Politics
⢠It involves deception and dishonesty for purposes of
individual self interest and leads to conflict and
disharmony.
⢠Used in a negative, self-serving way, the appropriate
use of political behavior can serve organizational
goal.
⢠It is use of power to influence decisions in order to
achieve those outcomes.
3. Nature of Organizational Politics
⢠Most managers believe that politics will more often
hurt than help an organization in achieving its goals.
⢠They believe that political behavior occurs more often
at upper rather than lower level in organization.
⢠They think that political behavior is common in
practically all organizations.
⢠They believe political behaviors arise in certain
decision domains.
4. ⢠Structural Change:-
Managers may actively bargain and negotiate to maintain
the responsibilities and power bases they have.
⢠Management Succession:-
Managers can use hiring and promotions to strengthen
network alliances by putting their people in proper position.
⢠Resource Allocation:-
It encompass all resources required for all resources
required for organizational performances, including salaries
operating budgets, employees, and so forth.
Domains of Political Activities
5. Political Tactics for Using Power
⢠.
⢠Build coalitions and expend networks:-
Effective managers develop positive relationships throughout the
organization and they spend time talking with others.
⢠Assign loyal people to key positions:-
Top managers often use the hiring, transfer, and promotional process to
place in key positions people.
⢠Control decision premises:- To constrain the boundaries of a decision.
⢠Enhance legitimacy and expertise:-
Managers can exert the greatest influence in areas in
which they have recognized legitimacy and expertise.
⢠Make a direct appeal:-
If managers do not ask, they seldom received.
6. .
Power
⢠Power is the ability of one person or
department in an organization to
influence other people to bring about
desired outcomes.
⢠Power exists only in a relationship
between two or more people, and it
can be exercised in either vertical or
horizontal directions.
7. Legitimate Power:- An example of legitimate power is that held by a company's CEO.
Reward Power:- This can be anybody in the organization but mostly played by
immediate boss or bossâs boss.
Coercive Power:- Mostly when employees are required to meet the deadlines this
power is activated.
Expert Power:- For example, a person who holds expert power can be promoted to
senior management, thereby giving him legitimate power.
Referent Power:- Usually practiced by charismatic people, the perception of the
personal relationships that anyone has that generates power over others.
Power in organizations is often the result of structural characteristics.
Types of Organizational Power
8. Vertical Source of Power:
Formal Position:-
This includes legitimate power.
Resources:-
Control over allocation makes the top management powerful.
Control of Decision Premises and Information:-
Constraints over decisions and information can increase power.
Network Centrality:-
Having access to information because you are centrally located also increases power.
Sources of Power
9. It pertains to relationships across departments, divisions, or other units.
Some parameters to understand this is mentioned as follows:
Strategic Contingencies: Example includes legal department having
more power if company is in legal battle, if company is innovative then
R&D dept. has more power.
Ways to do Strategic Contingencies:-
⢠Dependency
⢠Financial Resources
⢠Centrality
⢠Non-Substitutability
⢠Copying with Uncertainty
Horizontal Source of Power:
