Power and Politics |  |
Chapter SummaryThis chapter examines one of the most important and realistic dynamics of organizational behavior—power and politics. “Power” and “politics” have a number of different meanings. Power can be distinguished from authority and influence, but most defi-nitions
subsume all three concepts. Most of the attention given to power over the years has centered on the French and Raven classification of social power types: reward, coercive, legitimate, referent, and expert. More recently, some contingency models for power have been developed, which take into consideration the influenceability of the targets of power (that is, their dependency, uncertainty, personality, intelligence, gender, age, and culture). Overall contingency models are also beginning to emerge. Closely related to the contingency models of the French and Raven power types is the view of power by McClelland. He suggests that there are two faces of power: negative personal power and positive social power. Finally, the special case of empowerment is given attention. This popular approach goes beyond merely delegating authority to
make decisions to include participation, innovation, access to information, and accountability/responsibility.
Politics is very closely related to power. This chapter gives particular attention to a political perspective of power in modern organizations, in terms of resources, decisions,
goals, technology, external environment, and change, and to strategies for the acquisition of power. Some specific political strategies are to maintain alliances with powerful people, embrace or demolish, divide and rule, manipulate classified information,
make a quick showing, collect and use IOUs, avoid decisive engagement, attacking and blaming others, progress one step at a time, wait for a crisis, take counsel with caution, and be aware of resource dependence. Above all, it should be remembered
that both power and politics represent the realities of modern organizational life. The study of these important dynamics can significantly improve the understanding of organizational behavior. |
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education