Organizational Behavior

Tribute to Respected Course Mentor

Dr. Dewan Niamul Karim
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Teammates
1. Munmun Islam Mou ID No: 1615
2. Farzana Afroz ID No: 1616

3. Ummiya Rahman Khan ID No: 1617

4. Sumaia Haque Nira (L) ID No: 1630
5. Tasnim Jannat Tithi ID No: 2236
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POWER AND POLITICS

IN ORGANIZATION
 Contents
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 Definition of Power.
 Contrasting Leadership and Power.
 Bases of Power.
 Dependence: The Key to Power.
 Empowerment: Giving Power to Employees.
 Power Tactics.
 The Abuse of Power: Harassment in the Workplace.
 Politics: Power in Action.
 Causes and Consequences of Political Behavior.
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“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power

corrupts absolutely”
--- Lord Acton
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Definition of Power

 The ability or capacity to get something done

the way a person wants it done.
 Includes the ability to gather physical and
human resources and put them to work to reach
a goal.
 Central feature of political behavior.
 It is more than dominance.
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Definition of Power (Cont.)

For example,
Power refers to a capacity that A has to
influence the behavior of B. So, B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes.
8 Contrasting Leadership and Power

Power Leadership
Acceptance Agreement

A position of authority A personal attribute

Forceful and controlling nature Inspiring and encouraging nature

Gaining compliances Focuses on answers

9 Ways to Expand Power

 Clearly define roles and responsibilities.

 Provide opportunities for creative problem solving
coupled with the discretion to act.
 Emphasize different ways of exercising influence.
 Provide support to individuals so they become
comfortable with developing their power.
 Expand inducements for thinking and acting, not just
obeying.
10 Bases of Power
Aspects of formal management position and personal characteristics.

 Formal Bases of Power:

 Sources of power in formal management position.
 The other name is Organizational bases of power.
 Coercive, reward and legitimate power are formal types of
power.

 Personal Bases of Power:

 Sources of power in a manager’s personal characteristics.
 Expert power and referent power are the types of personal
power.
 Bases of Power (Cont.)
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Formal Power
Coercive power:
 The negative results to a person’s behavior.
 Based on the threat of application or physical sanctions.
 Examples: infliction of pain, frustration through
restriction of movement, etc.
Reward power:
 The positive results to a person’s behavior.
 The rewards can be financial or non-financial.
 Examples: salary increasing, bonuses, recognition,
promotion, etc.
12 Bases of Power (cont.)

Legitimate Power:
 Derives from position.
 A formal hierarchy in organization.
 Decision authority.
 Examples: Managing directors, sales executive, etc.
13 Bases of Power (Cont.)

Personal Power
Expert Power:
 Influence based on special skills or knowledge.
 Technical knowledge and expertise.
 Flow from the attributes and qualities of the person.
 Examples: computer specialists, tax accountants,
economists, etc.
14 Bases of Power (cont.)

Referent Power:
 Influence based on identification with a person.
 Related to charisma such as likability, dynamism and
emotional effects.
 It develops out of admiration of another.
 Examples: Companies use celebrities photos to
advertise their products.
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Dependence: The Key to Power

Dependence:
 The most important aspect of power.
 Refers to B’s relationship to A when A possesses
something that B requires.
16 Dependence: The Key to Power (cont.)

The general dependence postulates:

This explains answers of these two questions in the
following:
 Why most organizations develop multiple suppliers
rather than give their business to only one?
 Why so many aspire to financial independence?
Independence reduces the power and limit our access to
opportunities and resources.
17 Dependence: The Key to Power (cont.)

What Creates Dependence?

 Importance.
 Scarcity.
 Non-substitutability.
18 Dependence: The Key to Power (cont.)

Increasing Dependency
To increase the dependency of others on you, you need to
do these three things:
 Control.
 Scarce.
 Substitute.
19 Empowerment: Giving Power to Employees

Empowerment:
 Giving employees responsibility for what they do.
 The freedom and the ability of employees to make
decisions and commitments.
 Employee has to do with power to not power over.
 Managers disagree over definition of empowerment.
20 Empowerment: Giving Power to Employees
(Cont.)
Conditions for True Empowerment
 Clear definitions.
 Relevant skills.
 Support.
 Recognition.
21 Empowerment: Giving Power to Employees
(Cont.)
Characteristics of Empowered People
 Sense of self-determination.
 Sense of meaning.
 Sense of competence.
 Sense of impact.
22 Power Tactics

 Ways in which individuals translate power bases into

specific actions.
 Used by individuals on their own, within groups (inter-
groups) or between groups.
 Used to gain power and wield power.
23 Nine Distinct Power Tactics

Legitimacy:
 Claims to have the authority to get you to do something.
 Verifying it in the policy manual, rules or practices and
traditions.
 Legitimate power.

Rational Persuasion:
 Logical arguments and factual evidence.
 Expert power.
24 Nine Distinct Power Tactics (cont.)

Inspirational Appeal:
 Arouse enthusiasm by appealing to values, needs,
hopes and aspirations.
 Referent power.

Consultation:
 Will need the target’s support by seeking assistance
and modifying one’s proposal to get it.
 Reward, coercive or legitimate power.
25 Nine Distinct Power Tactics (cont.)
Exchange:
 Rewarding the targets with benefits and favors in
exchange of following a request.
 Quid pro quo.
 Reward power.

Personal Appeal:
 Appeals to one’s feelings of loyalty and friendship.
 Referent or reward power.
26 Nine Distinct Power Tactics (cont.)
Ingratiation:
 Get one in a good mood before asking for something.
 Using flattery, praise or friendly behavior.
 Reward power.
Pressure:
 Using warnings, repeated demands and threats.
 Coercive power.
Coalitions:
 Get someone else to persuade one to comply.
 Enlisting the aid or support others.
 Coercive power.
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Popularity of Power Tactics: From Most to
Least Popular
When managers influenced When managers influenced
superiors subordinates
Most Popular Reason Reason

Coalition Assertiveness

Friendliness Friendliness

Bargaining Coalition

Assertiveness Bargaining

Higher authority Higher authority

Least Popular Sanctions

28 The Abuse of Power: Harassment in the Workplace

The Abuse of Power: Workplace Bullying

 Health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons
(the targets) by one or more perpetrators.
 Threatening, humiliating or intimidating.
 Work interference.
‘Bullying can happen across levels of the organization, or
among co-workers’
 The Abuse of Power: Harassment in the
29 Workplace (cont.)
The Abuse of Power: Sexual Harassment
 Any unwanted activity of a sexual nature that
affects an individuals employment and creates a
hostile work environment.
 Examples:
• Unwanted looks or comments.
• Off-color jokes.
• Sexual innuendo.
• Misinterpretations of where the line between
“being friendly” ends and “harassment” begins.
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Politics: Power in Action

Those activities that influence, or attempt to

influence, the distribution of advantages and
disadvantages within the organization.
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Why Do We Get Politics?

 Differing values.
 Resources.
 Performance outcomes.
32 Factors Influencing Political Behavior
33 What Individual Factors Contribute to
Politics?
 High self-monitors.
 Internal locus of control.
 High Mach.
 Organizational investment.
 Perceived job alternatives.
 Expectations of success.
34 What Organizational Factors Contribute to
Politics?
 Reallocation of rewards.
 Promotion opportunities.
 Low trust.
 Role ambiguity.
 Unclear performance evaluation system.
 Zero-sum reward practices.
 Democratic decision-making.
 High performance pressure.
 Self-serving senior managers.
35 Types of Political Activity

 Attacking.
 Control.
 Coalitions.
 Networking.
 Obligations.
 Impressions.
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Impression Management

 The process by which individuals attempt to

control the impression others form of them.
 More likely used by high self-monitors than low
self-monitors.
37 Impression Management Techniques

 Conformity.
 Excuses.
 Apologies .
 Acclamations.
 Flattery.
 Favors.
 Association.
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