CASE 1

Reshaping the
Dubai Model
Background

History Growth and Prosperity

1960s: oil revenue funded huge Extravagant projects and schemes
infrastructure projects
Focused on commerce, tourism, and
No significant oil reserves aviation

Magnet for investors

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Background

Global Downturn Leadership

Managers and employees across all
sectors were worrying about their jobs
Declining value of investments of
property owners
Debt burden reached 100 billion USD
Key decision-makers lost influence
Conservative decision-makers were
on the rise
Close advisors to the ruler
Members of old merchant families
Conservative financial approach
Careful mergers and acquisitions
Cost-cutting exercises

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Objective

Provide an effective method of

implementation of power
Measure "effectiveness" through two levels:
Address the issue of recession
Establish respect from the people for the new conservative leaders

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Analysis

Conservative Economic Powerful New Leaders

Approach Leaders have both personal and
formal power
Dubai wants to go back to a more
conservative route through
PERSONAL POWER
conservative leaders
Expert power: conservative financial
approach
Need this kind of approach after the
country’s global downturn
FORMAL POWER: Appointed new
decision-makers

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Analysis

The ruler has formal and Dependent City

referent power People are dependent on their new
leaders to fix the problem 
Formal: position as ruler
Leaders have the decision to utilize
Referent power over new leaders: new
Dubai’s resources
leaders are close advisers to the ruler

Ruler practiced personal appeal power

tactic to the new leaders

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations

Execute

Delegate

Prioritize

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations
Prioritize

a. Divide essential and non-essential problems 

b. Rank tasks in order of importance and urgency
c. Apply rational persuasion and inspirational appeals tactics
i. Rational persuasion: “Help Dubai out of economic recession”
ii. Inspirational appeal: “Better future for the next generation”

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations
Delegate

a. Apply consultation power tactic to involve lower-level

decision-makers
i. Select representatives
ii. Determine several solutions that address individual concerns
iii. Identify tasks to (1) prevent role ambiguity and (2) establish
clear politics-performance relationships
b. Decide how to maximize Dubai’s resources (Scarcity-
dependence relationship)
BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION
Recommendations
Execute

a. Identify clear metrics to measure task performance

b. To better motivate teams, apply exchange power tactic
c. Monitor political behaviors 
i. Check for abuse of power tendencies 
ii. Create commensurate deterrents to prevent abuse of political
power

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Conclusion

The appointment of conservative leaders is a key

step for Dubai in helping them rise from their
debts.
A good political approach by the new leaders
would be if they effectively use their bases of
power for the city’s interests.
The kind of power tactics used will vary
depending on the situation and, if used correctly,
power will help address solutions more efficiently
and effectively.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

CASE 2

Barry's Peer
Becomes His Boss
Background

CTM had a company reorganization

Relatively small but growing technology firm 

Based on Barry’s experience, the reorganization was ‘disappointing’

Barry: Junior CTM Employee

Felt overlooked, misunderstood, and undervalued 

Felt that his opinions and ideas are not being shared with the higher-ups

Liked the company and his work so he did not want to look for another job

Confused as what to do with his job as of the moment

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Background

Raphael: Barry’s Peer

Worked for the company for a long time, just a few years longer
than Barry

Worked with the CEO on a successful project

Promoted out of the department but transferred back, this time

as Barry’s boss

Constantly told Barry that he was doing a good job, but behind
his back, he failed to make Barry look good

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Objective

Make Barry’s contributions

more known in order to get
the raise that he deserves

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Analysis

Barry believed that he deserved a raise in

the same way Raphael got one
Since Barry and Raphael had similar past work roles, he was
anticipating a similar promotion. 

Barry depended on Raphael that he would get a good word out for
him for his future prospects. 

Until today, Barry still wants the raise, but at the same time he
does not know what to do.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Analysis

Barry does not like how Organization politics

Raphael treats him may threaten employees
Raphael has formal power (particularly, Raphael asserting power over Barry
coercive power relationship) over Barry, since makes him want to leave (increased
he now holds a higher position than him. turnover)

Raphael uses ingratiation to get Barry to do Barry is now confused as to what he

work, but behind his back he does not make should do (increased anxiety and
him look good. stress)

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations
Respond to organizational
politics

Create a
political map

Establish relationships with

"significant" colleagues

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations
Respond to organizational
politics

Understand the politics-performance relationships

a. Barry must understand that perhaps Raphael

was more deserving of the job
b. Barry should speak to the higher-ups

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations
Create a
political map

Mapping out the political career through a

political map to determine which colleagues,
specifically those with significant influence
on him, to ask for help from

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Recommendations
Establish relationships with
"significant" colleagues

a. Use impression management, particularly

ingratiation, to entice his colleagues to grant
him a higher position.
b. Use power tactics on his co-workers
i. Inspirational appeals and Ingratiation
ii. Rational Persuasion

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION

Conclusion

It is important to remember that power and

politics are part of the organization life.
Though Barry is unaware of what he must do, he
must also decide to play because “to decide not
to play is deciding not to be effective.”
Since Barry believes he possesses the capabilities
for a higher position, he must assert himself and
find ways to get to that position through the
recommendations presented.

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION