Influence, Power, and

Politics in Organizations
Chapter 12
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Learning Objectives
1. Define the concepts of social influence, power, and
organizational politics.
2. Describe the major varieties of social influence tactics.
3. Identify the major types of individual power in
organizations.
4. Describe the two major approaches to the development
of subunit power in organizations (the resource
dependency model and the strategic contingencies
model).
5. Describe when and where organizational politics occur
and the forms such behavior takes.
6. Identify the major ethical issues surrounding the use of
political behavior in organizations.
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Basic Definitions
Social Influence: Attempts to affect
another in a desired fashion, whether or
not these are successful.
Power: The potential to successfully
influence another; the capacity to have a
desired effect on others.
Organizational Politics: Actions by
individuals that are directed toward the
goal of furthering their own self-interest
without regard for the well-being of others
or their organization.
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Influence, Power, & Politics
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Social Influence Tactics I
+ Rational Persuasion: Using logical arguments
and facts to persuade another that a desired
result will occur.
+ Inspirational Appeal: Arousing enthusiasm by
appealing to ones values and beliefs.
+ Consultation: Asking for participation in decision
making or planning a change.
+ Ingratiation: Getting someone to do what you
want by putting that person in a good mood or
getting him or her to like you.
+ Exchange: Promising some benefits in exchange
for complying with a request.
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Social Influence Tactics II
+ Personal Appeal: Appealing to feelings of loyalty
and friendship before making a request.
+ Coalition Building: Persuading by seeking the
assistance of others or by noting the support of
others.
+ Legitimating: Pointing out ones authority to
make a request or verifying that it is consistent
with prevailing organizational policies and
practices.
+ Pressure: Seeking compliance by using
demands, threats, or intimidation.
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Principles of Influence
Friendship/Liking: The more we like other persons or feel
friendship for them, the more likely we are to comply with
their requests or to accept other forms of influence from
them.
Commitment/Consistency: Once individuals have adopted
a position or committed themselves to a course of action,
they experience strong pressure to comply with requests
that are consistent with these initial commitments.
Scarcity: Requests that emphasize scarcity or the fact that
some object, opportunity, or outcome will soon no longer
be available, are difficult to resist.
Reciprocity: Individuals generally experience powerful
pressures to reciprocate benefits they have received from
others.
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Individual Power
Position
Power
Power based
on ones
formal
position in an
organization.
Personal
Power
The power that
one derives
because of his or
her individual
qualities or
characteristics.
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Position Power
Legitimate Power: The individual power base
derived from ones position in an organizational
hierarchy; the accepted authority of ones position.
Reward Power: The individual power base derived
from an individuals capacity to administer valued
rewards to others.
Coercive Power: The individual power base derived
from the capacity to administer punishment to
others.
Information Power: The extent to which a
supervisor provides a subordinate with the
information need to do the job.
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Personal Power
Rational Persuasion: Using logical arguments and
factual evidence to convince others that an idea is
acceptable.
Expert Power: The individual power base derived
from an individuals recognized superior skills and
abilities in certain areas.
Referent Power: The individual power base
derived from the degree to which one is liked and
admired by others.
Charisma: An attitude of enthusiasm and optimism
that is contagious; an aura of leadership.
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CEO Power Bases
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Empowerment
The process in which employees are given
increasing amounts of autonomy and discretion
in connection with their work.
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Group or Subunit Power
Resource-Dependency Model: The
view that power resides within
subunits that are able to control the
greatest share of valued
organizational resources.
Strategic Contingencies Model: A
view explaining power in terms of a
subunits capacity to control the
activities of other subunits.
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Resource-Dependency Model
In this example, the accounting department would be considered more
powerful than either the production department or the marketing
department because it controls more important resources.
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Strategic Contingencies Model
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The Antecedents of Politics
Personal and organizational variables:
Political behavior is often influenced by a
combination of individual and organizational
factors.
Human resource management: Activities
such as performance appraisal, personnel
selection, and compensation decisions are
likely to engender political behavior.
Organizational life span: Political behaviors
are more likely to occur as organizations
mature and begin to decline.
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Factors Influencing Politics
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Political Tactics
OGaining control over and selective
use of information.
OCultivating a favorable impression.
OBuilding powerful coalitions.
OBlaming and attacking others.
OAssociating with powerful others.
OCreating obligations and using
reciprocity.
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The Ethics of Politics
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Combating Politics
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Determining Ethical Action