BA 152 Conflict, Power, and Politics

High Low High Conflict Levels Performance Levels Conflict and Performance

Types of Intergroup Conflict? n Horizontal Conflict - n Vertical Conflict -

Potential Causes of Interdepartmental Conflict

Possible Consequences of Interdepartmental Conflict What will likely happen within each group and between the groups?

WITHIN EACH WORK UNIT Increased cohesiveness Greater focus on tasks More autocratic leadership Communication/roles become more formalized Possible Consequences of Interdepartmental Conflict

BETWEEN EACH WORK UNIT Perceptions become distorted Stereotypes turn negative Reduced communication between units Vicious cycle is perpetuated. Possible Consequences of Interdepartmental Conflict

Managing Conflict Between Groups n Change Structures – Restructure the organization – – Buffer the workflow –

Managing Conflict Between Groups n Change Behaviors – Change policies and procedures – – Clarify individual responsibilities –

Managing Conflict Between Groups n Change Attitudes – Rotate group members – – Provide inter-group training –

Power and Politics

POWER!

Sources of Individual Power In the Person n Expertise n Effort n Charisma/Referent

Sources of Individual Power In the Position Legitimate Reward Coercive

Power and Authority n Power - A relationship between two or more people exercised in multiple directions. n Authority - –

Types of Authority n Line Authority - authority associated with n Staff Authority - authority to n Functional Authority - staff authority n Operative Authority - individual rights to make decisions about how to do work

Acquisition of scarce resources Centrality in work flow Criticality/Non-substitutability Flexibility/Coping with Uncertainty Sources of Work Unit Power

1.Acquire scarce/important resources 2. 3.Try to make unit’s contributions critical to firm success 4. 5.Make the unit as flexible as possible 6. Increasing Work Unit Power

Political Processes in Organizations n Politics -

Rational & Political Models of Organization Actions CharacteristicRational ModelPolitical Model Goals Power Decision Processes Rules Information Cause & Effects Decisions Ideology Consistent Centralized Logical - Rational Optimization Accurate Known Maximizing Efficiency Inconsistent Diffuse & Shifting Disorderly Satisfysing Ambiguous Disagreements Satisfysing/Bargaining Conflict

Dimensions of Organizational Politics Influence Ends Appropriate Inappropriate Appropriate Influence Means Inappropriate

Domains of Political Activity n Reorganization and/or re-structuring n Interdepartmental coordination efforts n Management succession events n Resource allocation activities

Political Tactics for Using Power 1.Build coalitions with appropriate partners 2. 3.Control meeting agendas and decision premises 4. 5.Make preferences explicit, but keep power implicit