Power in Organizations Ch 12 – March 19, 2009

Influence & power Influence – attempt to affect behavior Power – affect behavior in the desired direction –Based on personal and org characteristics Politics – unauthorized use of power to enhance or protect your own interests

French & Raven’s Taxonomy of Individual Power Position power – formal power associated w/ a job –1) Legitimate power – what is it? How might power distance affect these perceptions? –2 and 3) Reward power & Coercive power –4) Information power – what is it?

Bases of Individual Power Personal power – from individual characteristics 5) Expert power – based on what? 6) Referent power – what is it? (also rational persuasion & charisma – see book)

Continuum of Employee Cooperation Resistance -  Compliance -  Commitment Coercive Reward Legitimate Expert Referent

Structural Factors of Power How do groups take power and direct behavior? 2 models – –1. Resource Dependency Model – units with greatest power are ones that control other units’ resources Based on what? –2. Strategic Contingencies Model – units with greatest power are ones that control activities of other units Examples?

Power & Politics Political behavior is intentional and self- conscious Idea of resistance – that political behavior would be resisted if detected by opponents Could be individual or group activity Conditions leading to political behavior? –1) –2) –3)

Types of Politics Attacking/blaming others (attributions) Selectively distribute information Forming coalitions, pressure others to conform Cultivating networks (and excluding some groups) Creating obligations Impression management

Neg Effects of Politics A source of process loss in groups Reduces trust and motivation Increased stress & withdrawal behaviors (see Ferris et al, 1996) Example -

Ferris et al (1996) Model considers politics as a stressor Interested in subjective evaluation of politics Model includes antecedents (org, job/work, & personal) and outcomes (job anxiety & job sat) Also includes moderators –What does a moderator do? –Control and understanding are proposed moderators

Method & Results N=822 Univ ees (questionnaire responses) Politics important predictor of job outcomes Antecedents – gender (what was the gender difference?) Moderator analysis –What were the results?

Political Skill Recent research by Ferris has focused on concept of ‘political skill’ – an individual difference What constructs we’ve reviewed thus far might political skill be related to? What might be the consequences of this?