Chapter FOURTEEN

Power and Politics

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 A Definition of Power

Power
A capacity that A has to influence
the behavior of B so that B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes.

Dependency
B’s relationship to A when
A possesses something
that B requires.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Contrasting Leadership and 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
downward. influence.
 Research Focus  Research Focus
– Leadership styles – Power tactics for
and relationships gaining compliance.
with followers.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Bases of Power: Formal 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.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Bases of Power: Formal Power (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 of Power: Personal 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.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Source: Drawing by Leo Cullum in The New Yorker, copyright ©1986 E X H I B I T 14–1
The New Yorker Magazine. Reprinted by permission.
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
 Dependency: The Key To Power

 The General Dependency Postulate

– The greater B’s 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

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Power Tactics

Power Tactics
Influence Tactics:
Ways in which • Legitimacy
individuals translate
• Rational persuasion
power bases into
specific actions. • Inspirational appeals
• Consultation
• Exchange
• Personal appeals
• Ingratiation
• Pressure
• Coalitions

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Preferred Power Tactics by Influence Direction

Upward Influence Downward Influence Lateral Influence

Rational persuasion Rational persuasion Rational persuasion
Inspirational appeals Consultation
Pressure Ingratiation
Consultation Exchange
Ingratiation Legitimacy
Exchange Personal appeals
Legitimacy Coalitions

E X H I B I T 14–2

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Factors Influencing the Choice and
Effectiveness of Power 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  The culture of the
tactic 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 certain
– Is the request legitimate? tactics over others.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Power in Groups: Coalitions

Coalitions
• Seek to maximize their
Clusters of individuals size to attain influence.
who temporarily come • Seek a broad and diverse
together to achieve a constituency for support
specific purpose. of their objectives.
• Occur more frequently in
organizations with high
task and resource
interdependencies.
• Occur more frequently if
tasks are standardized
and routine.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Sexual Harassment: Unequal Power in the
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 for Managers to Take 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.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Politics: Power in 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.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Politics Is in the Eye of the 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 E X H I B I T 13–3

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Factors That Influence
Political Behaviors

E X H I B I T 14-4

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Employee Responses to
Organizational Politics

E X H I B I T 14-5

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Defensive
Avoiding Action: Behaviors
• Overconforming
• Buck passing
• Playing dumb Avoiding Blame:
• Stretching • Buffing

• Stalling • Playing safe

• Justifying
• Scapegoating
Avoiding Change:
• Misrepresenting
• Prevention
• Self-protection

E X H I B I T 14–6

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Impression Management (IM)

Impression Management
The process by which IM Techniques:
individuals attempt to • Conformity
control the impression • Excuses
others form of them.
• Apologies
• Self-Promotion
• Flattery
• Favors
Source: Based on B. R. Schlenker, Impression Management (Monterey, CA:
Brooks/Cole, 1980); W. L. Gardner and M. J. Martinko, “Impression • Association
Management in Organizations,” Journal of Management, June 1988, p. 332;
and R. B. Cialdini, “Indirect Tactics of Image Management Beyond Basking,”
in R. A. Giacalone and P. Rosenfeld (eds.), Impression Management in the
Organization (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1989), pp. 45–
71.
E X H I B I T 14–7

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

 Is A Political Action 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?

E X H I B I T 14–8

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter Check-Up: Power & Politics

Write down two differences

between power and leadership.
Discuss with a classmate.

Do all leaders have power? Does

everyone with power lead others?
Discuss.
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter Check-Up: Power & 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 your answers with your

neighbor. Do you think it’s bad to plan
how you’ll get power over others?
© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter Check-Up: Power & Politics

What is the difference

between a power tactic
and an influence tactic?
Discuss with a neighbor.

© 2007 Prentice Hall Inc. All rights reserved.