16 power politics in business organization

7/29/2019 16 Power Politics in Business Organization

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Power and Politics inOrganizations

Presented by: Katharine P. Reyes


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Learning Objectives

1. Define Power.

2. Describe the five bases of power in organizations.

3. Discuss the consequences/effects of power bases

4. Discuss the role of power in sexual harassment.

5. Define politics and organizational politics.

6. Describe political strategies/tactics to gain political power.

7. Identify ways to control dysfunctional organizational politics.


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Q&A:

How do you perceive Power?Do you feel that power is exercised

in your organization?

How do you perceive Politics?Does Politics exist in your

organization?


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The Meaning of Power

The probability that one actor

within a social relationship would

be in a position to carry out his

own will despite resistance.

The General Dependency

Postulate:

The greater Bs dependency

on A, the greater the power

A has over B.


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Power versus Authority

Power Involves force and coercion.

Authority Subset of power.

Does not carry the implication of

force.

Involves suspension of judgment

on the part of its recipient.

Formal power that a person has

because of the position in

organization


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The Meaning of Influence

It is what you have when you exercise power.

Expressed by others behavioral response to

your exercise of power.


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Individual Power

Position

Power

Power based

on ones

formalposition in an

organization.

Personal

Power

The power that

one derives

because of his orher individual

qualities or

characteristics.


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Position Power

LEGITIMATE POWER

Also known as official power

comes from higher authority.

The same as authority, grantedby virtue of ones position

in an organization.

It gives the leaders the power to

control resources and to reward

and punish others.

PNP Chief Dir.

Gen. Nicanor Bartolome

NCRPO Chief Supt.

Leonardo Espina


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Position Power

REWARD POWER

It arises from an individuals ability

to give pay raises, recommend

someone for promotion or transfer,

or even make favorable workassignments.

It can also stem from the capacity

to provide organizational recognition,

to include an employee in a social

group, or simply to give positive

feedback for a job well done.


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Position Power

COERCIVE POWER

The capacity to punish another

(or at least to create a perceived

threat to do so).

It can threaten an employees

job security, make punitive

changes in someones work

schedule, or (at the extreme)

administer physical force.

MayorSarah Duterte


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Position Power

INFORMATION POWER

Access or control of

information.

May protect informationin order to increase their

power.

May complement legitimate

hierarchical power.


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Personal Power

RATIONAL PERSUASION

Ablity to convince other

person of the desirability

of a goal of achieving

it.

Supervisors daily

activity involves

this power.


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Personal Power

REFERENT POWER

Also called charismatic

power and power of

personality comes

from each leaderindividually.

It is the ability of leaders to

develop followers from the

strength of their ownpersonalities.

Interpersonal attraction of

one individual for another.


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Personal Power/Other Source

CHARISMA

The ability to inspire others.

Depends on ones ability to inspire

others and draw on their commitmentto shared values.

Leaders of:

Voluntary organizations

Religious groupsOrganizations with strong culture

Bro. Eddie Villanueva


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Personal Power

EXPERT POWER

Also known as the authority of

knowledge comes from specialized

learning.

It is power that arises from a persons

knowledge of information of and

information about a complex situation.

It depends on education, training andexperience, and so it is an important

type of power in our modern

technological society.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago


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Consequences/Effects of

Power Bases:

Sourcesof Power Consequencesof Power

ExpertPower

ReferentPower

LegitimatePower

RewardPower

CoercivePower

Commitment

Compliance

Resistance

Commitment

Compliance

Resistance


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InterdependenceArises from joint activity in which the work of

one individual or group affects the work of others.

Basis for conflict and a reason to exert influence over

others.

ScarcityThe greater the scarcity relative to the demand,

the greater the opportunity for power and influence to

be used in resolving the conflict.

Heterogenous Goals

In complex organizations, a wide variety ofinconsistent goals and incompatible beliefs about

how these goals should be achieved, managers may

decide and use power on policies and practices.

Conditions Necessary

for the Use of Power


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Sexual harassment includes unwel-come sexual advances, requests

for sexual favors, and other verbal orphysical conduct of a sexual naturethat affect an individual at work.

Physical size and strength can serveas a source of power to intimidate orcoerce others.

Physical surroundings can contribute

to ones position power

Sexual harassment are very blatant,other forms very subtle.

Sexual Harassment:

An Abuse of Power


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Employees may react negatively to use of Power:

Decreased trust in organization

Increased employee dissatisfaction

Increased conflict within the organization

Decreased morale and effort

Increased employee turnover

Employee Responses to

Use of Power


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Five criteria for assessing power (Jeffrey Pfeffer):1. Determinants of Power- How many bases of power does each individual possess?

2. Consequences of Power

- Those with the greater power should be the ones who

obtain the most favorable decision outcomes.3. Symbols

- Titles, office size and location, special parking privileges,

special eating facilities, automobiles, airplanes, and

office furnishings.

4. Reputation- Asking the members of the organization who possesses

the greatest power or exerts the greatest influence.

5. Representation Committee

- Identify people and group who are most heavily represented

INDICATORS OF POWER


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Politics

- Is the exercise of power in organizations.

Organizational Politics

- Refers to activities within organizations

designed to acquire, develop, or use

power in a conscious way to obtain

ones preferred outcomes or tomanipulate a situation for ones

own purposes

Politics


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Political Behavior means:

1. Behavior that is outside the legitimate recognized

power system.

2. Behavior that is designed to benefit an individualor subunit, often at the expense of the organization

in general.

3. Behavior that is intentional and is designed to

acquire and maintain power.

Politics


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Managers insight toward Organizational Politics:1. Politics is common in most organizations.

2. Managers must be good at politics to succeed.

3. Politics becomes more important at higher levels.

4. Politics can detract from organizational efficiency.

Organizational Politics


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Political Strategies/Tactics

Used to Gain Political PowerTACTIC USED EXAMPLE

1. Social exchange In a trade-off the chief engineer

helps the factory manager get a

new machine approved if the

manager will support an

engineering project.

2. Alliances The information system managerand the financial vice president

join together to work for a new

computer system.

3. Identification with higher

authority

The presidents personal

assistant makes minor decisionsfor her.

4. Control of information The research and development

manager control new product

information needed by the

marketing manager.

P liti l St t i /T ti


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Political Strategies/Tactics

Used to Gain Political Power(continued)

TACTIC USED EXAMPLE

5. Selective service The purchasing manager

selectively gives faster service to

more cooperative associates.

6. Power and status symbols The new controller arranges todouble the size of the office,

decorate lavishly, and employ a

personal assistant.

7. Power plays Manager A arranges with the vice

president to transfer part of

manager Bs department to A.

8. Networks A young manager joins a

racquetball club.


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Combating Politics


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16 power politics in business organization

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