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OD & Organizational PowerOD & Organizational Power

and Politicsand Politics

OD & Organizational PowerOD & Organizational Power

and Politicsand Politics

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To empower yourself

To facilitate the empowerment

of others

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Relationship Among Social Influence, Power,Relationship Among Social Influence, Power,

and Politicsand Politics

Organizational

politics

Use of power for

personal interests

Capacity to

exert influence

Social influence

Unsuccessful

Successful

Power

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Commitment

Consequences of Power

RewardPower

LegitimatePower

CoercivePower

ExpertPower

ReferentPower

Resistance

Compliance

Sourcesof Power Consequencesof Power

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Harassment and PowerHarassment and Power

Harasser stereotypes the victim as subservientHarasser stereotypes the victim as subservient

and powerlessand powerless

Harasser threatens job security or safetyHarasser threatens job security or safety

through coercive or legitimate powerthrough coercive or legitimate power Hostile work environment harassmentHostile work environment harassment

continues when the victim lacks power to stopcontinues when the victim lacks power to stop

the behaviourthe behaviour

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Office Romance and PowerOffice Romance and Power

Co-workers believe that employees inCo-workers believe that employees in

relationships abuse their power to favourrelationships abuse their power to favour

each other.each other.

Higher risk of harassment when relationshipHigher risk of harassment when relationship

breaks off.breaks off.

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Organizational Politics: More Likely at theOrganizational Politics: More Likely at the

TopTop

ExtenttoWhichPoliticalActiv

ityisLikely(range0-3)

ExtenttoWhichPoliticalActiv

ityisLikely(range0-3)

Production andProduction and

blue collarblue collar

Clerical andClerical and

white collarwhite collar

Technical andTechnical and

professionalprofessional

LowerLower

managementmanagement

MiddleMiddle

managementmanagement

UpperUpper

managementmanagement

1.31.3

1.21.2

1.11.1

1.01.0

.9.9

.8.8

.7.7

.6.6

.5.5

.4.4

.3.3

.2.2

.1.1

Organizational LevelOrganizational Level

(.18)(.18)

(.50)(.50)(.54)(.54)

(.73)(.73)

(1.07)(1.07)

(1.22)(1.22)Political activityis perceived to

increase at higher

organizational levels

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Types of

Organizational

Politics

Managingimpressions

Attacking andblaming

Creatingobligations

Cultivatingnetworks

Types of Organizational

Politics

Controllinginformation

Formingcoalitions

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Impression ManagementImpression Management

ConformityConformity

: agreeing with anothers opinion to get their approval: agreeing with anothers opinion to get their approval

ExcusesExcuses: Explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at minimizing the: Explanations of a predicament-creating event aimed at minimizing theapparent severity of the predicamentapparent severity of the predicament

ApologiesApologies: Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously: Admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneouslyseeking to get a pardon for the actionseeking to get a pardon for the action

AcclamationsAcclamations: Explanation of favorable events to maximize the desirable: Explanation of favorable events to maximize the desirableimplications for oneself.implications for oneself.

FlatteryFlattery: Complimenting others on their virtues in an effort to make oneself: Complimenting others on their virtues in an effort to make oneselfappear perceptive and likeableappear perceptive and likeable

FavorsFavors: Doing something nice for someone to gain that persons approval: Doing something nice for someone to gain that persons approval

AssociationAssociation: Enhancing or protecting ones image by managing information: Enhancing or protecting ones image by managing information

about people and things with which one is associatedabout people and things with which one is associated..

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Types of

Organizational

Politics

Attacking andblaming

Creatingobligations

Cultivatingnetworks

Controllinginformation

Formingcoalitions

It was Johns

fault

I thought

you

knew

We agreed

that

Look who

I know

You

scratch myback

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ConditionsSupporting

Organizational

Politics

Scarce

Resources

Complex andAmbiguous

Decisions

Personal

Characteristics

Tolerance ofPolitics

Conditions for Organizational

Politics

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ConditionsSupporting

Organizational

Politics

Scarce

Resources

Complex andAmbiguous

Decisions

Personal

Characteristics

Tolerance ofPolitics

Conditions for Organizational

Politics

Deceit is

appropriate

Zero-sum

rewards

Internal locus

of controlPerceived

alternatives?

It works here

Democratic

decision making

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Controlling Political Behaviour

Peer PressureAgainst Politics

RemovePolitical Norms

Free FlowingInformation

Manage ChangeEffectively

ProvideSufficientResources

IntroduceClear Rules

Hire

Low-PoliticsEmployees

IncreaseOpportunitiesfor Dialogue