BUS 272 – E100 Week 8 Exam: Power & Politics

Course Information

• Course title: BUS 272 – E100
• Week: 8
• Topic: Power & Politics, Conflict & Negotiation
• Instructor: Melissa McCrae, EdD

Exams

• Read the complete question
• Note the number of marks allocated to each question
• Attend and actively participate in class
• Study the textbook
• Exam will be graded rigorously, use this as a chance to do better
• This exam will be vital for future MOS courses (foundational) and management.

Objectives

• Evaluate the amount of power someone has, the source of their power, and how effectively their power influences others.
• Determine when to empower and when not to empower.
• Understand office politics
• Identify and assess various ways to manage conflict.
• Master effective negotiation skills, including a clear plan.

What is Power?

• Power is the ability of one party (A) to influence the behavior of another party (B) in line with A's desires.
• Dependence stems from B's reliance on A for something vital.
• Power often creates discomfort.

Formal Power

• Formal power derives from a position within an organization.
• Coercive power stems from fear of negative consequences for non-compliance.
• Reward power stems from the ability to grant desired rewards.
• Legitimate power arises from the individual's position in the organizational hierarchy.

Personal Power

• Personal power stems from individual attributes.
• Expert power stems from specialized skills or knowledge.
• Referent power stems from desirable traits or resources.

Which Bases of Power are Most Effective?

• Effectiveness of power bases depends on the response elicited (Commitment > Compliance > Resistance), across various leader power types. (Coercive, Reward, Legitimate, Expert, Referent).

The General Dependence Postulate

• Power is directly linked to dependence.
• The greater B's dependence on A, the more power A wields over B.
• Dependence is inversely proportional to alternative sources of supply.

What Power Bases Do They Have?

• Examples of power bases within organizations (boss over employee, employee over boss, unions over management/employees, charismatic CEOs over employees/non-employees)

Influence Tactics

• Rational Persuasion: Using logic and evidence to convince.
• Inspirational Appeals: Appealing to values and ideals.
• Consultation: Involving others in decision-making.
• Ingratiation: Creating a favorable impression beforehand.
• Exchange: Offering reciprocal benefits.
• Personal Appeal: Appealing to loyalty or friendship.
• Coalition: Seeking the aid of others.
• Legitimating: Justifying a request with authority.
• Upward Appeals: Gaining support from higher management.
• Pressure: Using demands or threats for compliance.

Political Skill

• Political skill is the ability to influence others in ways beneficial to one's objectives.
• More influential in situations with higher stakes.
• Politically skilled individuals often influence others without detection.

How Power Affects People

• Power can lead people to prioritize their own interests over others
• Powerful individuals are more susceptible to threats to their standing
• They are often willing to criticize and marginalize others
• The effect of power is influenced by the individual’s personality and organizational structures.
• Those who rise from lower status positions are most likely to abuse power.

Harassment in the Workplace

• Harassment, including bullying, and sexual harassment, frequently stems from a power imbalance.
• Managers and co-workers may abuse power to exert undue influence.
• Unwelcome behavior, or threats to job security, may be part of workplace harassment.
• Sexual harassment, can include requests, unwanted attention, innuendos, etc., impacting the employee.

Empowering Employees

• Empowering employees gives them independence in decision-making.
• Leads to increased job satisfaction, greater efficiency, and higher productivity.
• Possible drawbacks include resistance from some employees, differing needs and personalities, and increased stress.

Characteristics of Empowered Employees

• Self-determination
• Sense of meaning
• Sense of competence
• Sense of influence

Why Do Politics in An Organization Exist?

• Differing values, goals, and interests
• Limited resources
• Vague or unclear performance criteria

Types of Political Activity

• Attacking or blaming others:
• Using information:
• Managing impressions:
• Building support for ideas:
• Praising others:
• Building coalitions:
• Associating with influential people:
• Creating obligations:

Impression Management Techniques

• Different techniques for managing impressions, to gain approval or advance one's reputation:
• Conformity: Agreeing with others' views to gain approval.
• Excuses: Explanations for negative events to minimize responsibility.
• Apologies: Admitting fault and seeking forgiveness.
• Favors: Doing something nice for others to gain approval.
• Flattery: Complimenting others to enhance your image.
• Self-promotion: Highlighting accomplishments and abilities.
• Enhancement: Presenting one's actions or contributions in a more positive light.

Being Smart About Office Politics

• Frame arguments based on organizational goals.
• Maintain control over organizational resources.
• Establish your importance.
• Build strong working relationships with influential people.
• Remain vigilant about interactions with 'tainted' individuals and maintain positive relationships with your manager.

Conflict Defined

• Conflict exists when one party feels negatively impacted by another party's actions or plans.
• Functional conflict enhances group performance through constructive feedback, while dysfunctional conflict impedes group performance.

Types of Conflict

• Task conflict: disagreements about the work itself.
• Relationship conflict: interpersonal disagreements.
• Process conflict: disagreements about how to do work.

Conflict & Performance

• Moderate levels of conflict tend to increase performance.
• High levels of conflict tend to decrease performance.

Loci of Conflict

• Dyadic conflict: Between two people.
• Intragroup conflict: Within a group or team.
• Intergroup conflict: Between different groups or teams.

Sources of Conflict

• Communication issues (semantic problems, misunderstandings).
• Structural issues (size, specialization; ambiguity, responsibility).
• Personal issues: Personality differences (disagreeableness, neuroticism), emotions, values.

Five Ways to Resolve Conflicts

• Avoiding
• Yielding
• Forcing
• Compromising
• Problem Solving.

Techniques for Managing Work-Related Conflicts

• Problem solving
• Develop overarching goals
• Smoothing
• Compromising
• Avoiding
• Resource expansion
• Authoritative command
• Altering the human variable
• Structural alter

Reasons for Personality Conflicts

• Cultural differences
• Inequalities
• Misunderstandings
• Accusations/Blaming

How to Handle Personality Conflicts

• Communicate directly
• Avoid dragging others into conflict
• Seek support
• Seek alternative solutions, if appropriate

Negotiation

• Negotiation is the process where parties exchange goods or services, and attempt to agree on exchange rates.
• Positions are the stated positions in the negotiation.
• Interests are the underlying concerns or motivations of the parties involved.

Bargaining Strategies

• Distributive bargaining seeks to divide a fixed pie of resources (win-lose).
• Integrative bargaining seeks to create a win-win solution by expanding the resources available.

Distributive vs. Integrative Bargaining

• Compare and contrast distributive and integrative bargaining styles.

Negotiation Process

• Develop a strategy (BATNA).
• Define ground rules.
• Clarify and justify positions.
• Bargain and problem-solve.
• Achieve closure and implementation.

Negotiation Factors

• Personality traits, emotional responses, trustworthiness.

Third-Party Conflict Resolution

• Describe mediators, arbiters, and conciliators.
• Discuss situations where each may be appropriate.

Tips for Successful Negotiations

• Begin with a positive overture.
• Address problems, not personalities.
• Pay less attention to initial offers.
• Emphasize win-win solutions.
• Create a climate of trust.

Next Class

• Organizational Culture

How to Empower Employees

• Clearly define company values and mission.
• Help them develop relevant skills.
• Support their decision-making, and avoid criticizing.
• Recognize their efforts.

Prepare for your Week 8 exam in BUS 272, focusing on Power & Politics, Conflict & Negotiation. This quiz covers key concepts such as the sources of power, managing office politics, and effective negotiation skills. Ensure you understand the influence of power dynamics and conflict management strategies as you get ready for the exam.