Podcast
Questions and Answers
Power requires goal compatibility between A and B.
Power requires goal compatibility between A and B.
False
Coercive power is considered a basis of formal power.
Coercive power is considered a basis of formal power.
True
Expert power is classified as a form of personal power.
Expert power is classified as a form of personal power.
True
Reward power is more effective than expert power in ensuring employee satisfaction.
Reward power is more effective than expert power in ensuring employee satisfaction.
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Dependence plays a crucial role in power relationships.
Dependence plays a crucial role in power relationships.
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Legitimate power is one of the bases of personal power.
Legitimate power is one of the bases of personal power.
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Political behavior in organizations has no ethical considerations.
Political behavior in organizations has no ethical considerations.
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Buck passing involves transferring responsibility for a task to someone else.
Buck passing involves transferring responsibility for a task to someone else.
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Impression management is primarily utilized by individuals with low self-monitoring.
Impression management is primarily utilized by individuals with low self-monitoring.
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Scapegoating is the act of unfairly placing blame for a negative outcome on external factors.
Scapegoating is the act of unfairly placing blame for a negative outcome on external factors.
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Stretching refers to completing a task as quickly as possible to appear busy.
Stretching refers to completing a task as quickly as possible to appear busy.
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Self-protection during change involves promoting the interests of others above one's own.
Self-protection during change involves promoting the interests of others above one's own.
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Rational persuasion is equally preferred in upward, downward, and lateral influence.
Rational persuasion is equally preferred in upward, downward, and lateral influence.
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Inspirational appeals are favored in upward influence rather than downward influence.
Inspirational appeals are favored in upward influence rather than downward influence.
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People from individualistic countries view power primarily in social terms.
People from individualistic countries view power primarily in social terms.
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The politically skilled are less effective in using influence tactics.
The politically skilled are less effective in using influence tactics.
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Power always leads to negative reactions in individuals.
Power always leads to negative reactions in individuals.
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Ingratiation is a tactic used in both downward and lateral influence.
Ingratiation is a tactic used in both downward and lateral influence.
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A formal and conservative culture generally allows individuals to gain more influence.
A formal and conservative culture generally allows individuals to gain more influence.
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Power tends to cause overconfident decision making.
Power tends to cause overconfident decision making.
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Coalitions are a tactic utilized in lateral influence.
Coalitions are a tactic utilized in lateral influence.
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Pressure is a preferred tactic in lateral influence.
Pressure is a preferred tactic in lateral influence.
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Dependence is directly proportional to the alternative sources of supply.
Dependence is directly proportional to the alternative sources of supply.
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Scarcity creates more dependence in power relationships.
Scarcity creates more dependence in power relationships.
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Rational persuasion is least effective when the audience is highly interested in the outcomes.
Rational persuasion is least effective when the audience is highly interested in the outcomes.
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Coalitions are one of the identified influence tactics.
Coalitions are one of the identified influence tactics.
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Pressure is generally considered an effective influence tactic.
Pressure is generally considered an effective influence tactic.
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Ingratiation can help lessen negative reactions when dictating outcomes.
Ingratiation can help lessen negative reactions when dictating outcomes.
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Nonsubstitutability increases dependence on a particular resource or person.
Nonsubstitutability increases dependence on a particular resource or person.
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Personal appeals are not considered a tactic of influence.
Personal appeals are not considered a tactic of influence.
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Legitimacy is a tactic that can be used to influence others.
Legitimacy is a tactic that can be used to influence others.
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Sexual harassment can negatively impact an individual's employment and create a hostile work environment.
Sexual harassment can negatively impact an individual's employment and create a hostile work environment.
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Managers have no responsibility to protect employees from harassment in the workplace.
Managers have no responsibility to protect employees from harassment in the workplace.
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An active policy defining sexual harassment can help inform employees about the consequences of such behavior.
An active policy defining sexual harassment can help inform employees about the consequences of such behavior.
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Employees who issue complaints of sexual harassment typically face retaliation according to standard practices.
Employees who issue complaints of sexual harassment typically face retaliation according to standard practices.
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It is unnecessary for managers to investigate every complaint of sexual harassment.
It is unnecessary for managers to investigate every complaint of sexual harassment.
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Political behavior within organizations includes actions that are part of an employee's formal job role.
Political behavior within organizations includes actions that are part of an employee's formal job role.
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Whistle-blowing is a form of political behavior that can impact organizational decision-making.
Whistle-blowing is a form of political behavior that can impact organizational decision-making.
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Withholding information is not considered a political behavior within organizations.
Withholding information is not considered a political behavior within organizations.
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Setting up in-house seminars can raise employee awareness about sexual harassment issues.
Setting up in-house seminars can raise employee awareness about sexual harassment issues.
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Spreading rumors is an acceptable practice in a professional workplace.
Spreading rumors is an acceptable practice in a professional workplace.
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Study Notes
Organizational Behavior Chapter 13: Power and Politics
- Power is defined as a capacity to influence someone's behavior
- Power exists but may not be used
- Power is a function of dependence; someone can only have power over you if they control something you desire
- Leaders use power to achieve group goals
- Goal compatibility is not prerequisite for power; dependence is
- Leadership research stresses style, whereas power focuses on influence
- Formal power is coercive, reward, and legitimate power
- Personal power is expert and referent power
- Personal power sources are more effective; expert and referent power positively impact employee satisfaction, commitment, and performance; reward and legitimate power are unrelated
- Coercive power can be negative or damaging
- Dependence is the inverse of alternative sources of supply.
- Importance, scarcity, and nonsubstitutability increase dependence
Learning Objectives
- 13.1: Contrast leadership and power
- 13.2: Explain formal power bases (coercive, reward, legitimate) and personal power bases (expert, referent)
- 13.3: Explain the role of dependence in power relationships
- 13.4: Identify power/influence tactics and their contingencies
- 13.5: Identify the causes and consequences of power abuse
- 13.6: Describe how politics work in organizations
- 13.7: Identify the causes, consequences, and ethics of political behavior
Define Power and Contrast Leadership and Power
- Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A's wishes
- Power may exist but not be used
- Power is a function of dependence; a person can have power over you if they control something you desire
Explain Formal Power and Personal Power
- Formal power includes coercive power (punishment), reward power (rewards), and legitimate power (authority)
- Personal power includes expert power (knowledge/skill) and referent power (respect/identification)
Explain the Role of Dependence in Power Relationships
- The general dependency postulate: When you possess something others need but that you alone control, you make them dependent on you, thus gaining power over them.
- Dependence is inversely proportional to the alternative sources of supply
- What creates dependence: importance, scarcity, nonsubstitutability
Identify Power or Influence Tactics
- Influence tactics include: legitimacy, rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, consultation, exchange, personal appeals, ingratiation, pressure, coalitions
- Some tactics (rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, consultation) are more effective when the audience is interested in the outcomes
- Pressure tactics can backfire
- Ingratiation and legitimacy can lessen negative reactions if used appropriately
Identify Nine Power or Influence Tactics and their Contingencies
- Some tactics are more effective than others (rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, consultation) when the audience is interested in outcomes
- Pressure can backfire
- Ingratiation and legitimacy can lessen the negative effects of appearing to dictate outcomes
- Different countries prefer different power tactics. Individualistic countries see power as a personal means for advancement, while collectivistic countries see it as social with a goal of helping others.
Applying Power Tactics
- People differ in terms of their political skill, or ability to influence others to achieve their own objectives
- Politically skilled people are more effective users of all influence tactics
- Cultures within organizations differ; some are warm and supportive, while others are formal and conservative
- People who fit the culture of an organization tend to obtain more influence
Causes and Consequences of Abuse of Power
- Power can lead people to prioritize their interests over others
- Powerful people react negatively to threats to their competence
- Power leads to overconfident decision-making
- Power affects people differently, with both positive and negative consequences
Sexual Harassment
- Sexual harassment is any unwanted sexual activity that affects an individual's employment (creates hostile work environment)
- Organizations have made progress in limiting sexual harassment
- Managers have a responsibility to protect employees from hostile work environments and need to protect themselves
Managers Should
- Establish an active policy defining sexual harassment, informing employees about repercussions, and outlining complaint procedures
- Reassure employees that retaliation will not be tolerated for issuing complaints
- Investigate every complaint, including legal and human resource departments
- Ensure offenders are disciplined or terminated
- Hold in-house seminars to raise awareness about sexual harassment
Describe How Politics Work in Organizations
- Political behavior includes activities not part of one's formal role, but influence the distribution of organizational advantages
- It involves influencing decision-making goals, criteria, or processes
- Examples of political behavior include withholding information, whistle-blowing, rumor spreading, and leaking confidential information
Causes and Consequences of Political Behavior
- Individual factors (self-monitoring, locus of control, Machiavellianism, organizational investment, perceived alternatives, expectations of success)
- Organizational factors (resource allocation, promotion opportunities, trust, role ambiguity, performance evaluation, zero-sum reward practices, democratic decision-making, high-performance pressures, self-serving senior managers)
- Outcomes of political behavior—favorable outcomes like rewards and averted punishments—can result from high political behavior.
Defensive Behaviors
- Avoiding action (overconforming, buck passing, playing dumb, stretching, stalling)
- Avoiding blame (bluffing, playing safe, justifying)
- Avoiding change (prevention, self-protection, scapegoating, misrepresenting)
Impression Management (IM)
- IM is the process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of them.
- High self-monitors are more likely to engage in IM
- Impressions conveyed are not always false; individuals may genuinely believe them
- Intentional misrepresentation can have a high cost
- IM effectiveness is situation-dependent
The Ethics of Behaving Politically
- Questions to consider when engaging in political behavior:
- What is the utility of engaging in politicking?
- How does the utility of engaging in the political behavior balance out any harm (or potential harm) it will do to others?
- Does the political activity conform to standards of equity and justice?
Implications for Managers
- Maximize power by increasing others' dependence on you (e.g., developing unique skills/knowledge)
- Recognize that others are also trying to increase their power and leverage their influence
- Be mindful of promoting/maintaining a sense of powerlessness in others.
- Assess political behavior to better predict and manage within the organization
- Acknowledge the link between poor political skills and negative organizational outcomes (lower job satisfaction, high stress, turnover)
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Description
Explore the dynamics of power and politics in the workplace with this quiz focused on Chapter 13 of Organizational Behavior. Understand the different types of power, their sources, and their impact on leadership and employee satisfaction. Test your knowledge on key concepts such as dependence, formal and personal power, and the role of leaders in achieving group goals.
