CHAPTER THIRTEEN

POWER & POLITICS

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 POWER DEFINITION

Power is the Capacity of a person,

team or organization to influence
the behaviour of others

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 SOURCES OF POWER
(Power Bases)
1. Reward
2. Coercive
3. Legitimate
4. Expert
5. Referent
(Charismatic)

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 CONTINGENCIES OF POWER

1. Substitutability
2. Centrality
3. Discretion
4. Visibility

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 CONSEQUENCES OF POWER

 If used properly power is good to

achieve organizational goals.
 According to lord action:
 Power tends to corrupt
 Absolute power corrupts absolutely

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 POWER TACTICS

Ways in which individuals translate power bases into

specific actions.
1. Reason

2. Friendliness

3. Coalition

4. Bargaining

5. Assertiveness

6. Higher authority

7. sanctions

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 ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS

 Politics is power in action

 Definition: Political behaviour involves
attempts by some to influence the
behaviour of others and the course of
events in the organization in order to
protect the self-interests, meet their
own needs and advance their own goals.

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 ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS
IN PERSPECTIVE
Organizational politics involves
actions by individuals, teams or
departments to acquire, develop
and use power and other resources
in order to obtain the preferred
outcome when uncertainty or
disagreement about choice exists.

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 TYPES OF POLITICAL
ACTIVITY
1. Attacking or blaming others
2. Selecting distributing information
3. Controlling information channels
4. Forming coalitions
5. Cultivating networks
6. Creating obligations
7. Impression management
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 CONTROLLING POLITICAL
BEHAVIOUR
 Ensure sufficient supply of critical resources.
 When resources scarce, introduce clear rules.
 Establish free flow of information
 During change process use effective change
management practices
 Restructure team and organizational norms to
reject political tactics that interfere with
organizational goals.

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