1. Power, politics and persuasion

2. Chapter learning objectives
Define power and counterpower.
Describe the five bases of power in organisations.
Explain how information relates to power in organisations.
Discuss the four contingencies of power.
Discuss the role of power in sexual harassment.
Explain how organisational power creates problems in romantic relationships at work.
Summarise the advantages and disadvantages of organisational politics.
Describe six types of political activity found in organisations.
Describe the conditions that encourage organisational politics.
Identify ways to control dysfunctional organisational politics.
Summarise the key features of persuasive communication.
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

3. Politics of telecommuting
Gary Withers, managing director of Drake International New Zealand, leads the Auckland-based consulting firm from his home in Queenstown. Withers says telecommuting keeps him away from office politics, but experts warn that telecommuters may become victims of office politics.
© Southland Times/(New Zealand)
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

4. The meaning of power
Power is the capacity of a person, team or organisation to influence others
the potential to influence others
people have power they don’t use and may not know they possess
power requires one person’s perception of dependence on another person
© Southland Times/(New Zealand)
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

5. Power and dependence Person A Person B Person B’s goals
Person B’s counterpower over Person A
Person A
Person B
Person
B’s goals
Person A’s power over Person B
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

6. Model of power in organisations
Sources
of power
Power
over others
Legitimate
Reward
Coercive
Expert
Referent
Contingencies
of power
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

7. The limits of legitimate power
The Caine Mutiny illustrates the limits of legitimate power in organisations. Captain Queeg (Humphrey Bogart, seated left) asked his crew to do more than they were willing to follow, so they staged a mutiny.
© Reuters Archive Photos
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

8. Sources of power Legitimate power Reward power Coercive power
Expert power
© Reuters Archive Photos
Referent power
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

9. Information and power Control over information flow
based on legitimate power
relates to formal communication network
common in centralised structures (wheel pattern)
Coping with uncertainty
those who know how to cope with organisational uncertainties gain power
prevention
forecasting
absorption
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

10. Contingencies of power among pilots
These pilots at Germany's Lufthansa Airlines won 30 per cent pay rises after staging two 24-hour strikes that grounded hundreds of flights and cost the airline more than US$23 million. Pilots are powerful because they have low substitutability (only other pilots can replace them) and high centrality.
© AFP/CORBIS
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

11. Increasing non-substitutability
Differentiation
Controlling
tasks
Increasing
non-substitutability
Controlling
labour
Controlling
knowledge
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

12. Contingencies of power
over others
Sources
of power
Contingencies
of power
Substitutability
Centrality
Discretion
Visibility
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

13. Consequences of power Commitment Compliance Resistance
Sources of power
Consequences of power
Expert
power
Commitment
Referent
power
Legitimate power
Compliance
Reward power
Resistance
Coercive
power
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

14. Sexual harassment and power
Harasser stereotypes the victim as subservient and powerless
Harasser threatens job security or safety through coercive or legitimate power
Hostile work environment harassment continues when the victim lacks power to stop the behaviour
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

15. Office romance and power
Co-workers believe that employees in relationships abuse their power to favour each other
Higher risk of sexual harassment claims after relationship breaks off
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

16. Organisational politics
Attempts to influence others using discretionary behaviours to promote personal objectives
discretionary behaviours  neither explicitly prescribed nor prohibited
Politics may be good or bad for the organisation
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

17. Types of organisational politics
Managing
impressions
Attacking and
blaming
Types of
organisational
politics
Controlling
information
Creating
obligations
Cultivating
networks
Forming coalitions
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

18. Conditions for organisational politics
Personal
characteristics
Scarce
resources
Conditions
supporting
organisational
politics
Tolerance of
politics
Complex and
ambiguous
decisions
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

19. Controlling political behaviour
Provide
sufficient
resources
Remove
political norms
Introduce
clear rules
Hire
low-politics
employees
Free flowing
information
Increase
opportunities
for dialogue
Manage change
effectively
Peer pressure
against politics
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

20. Persuasive communication
Communicator
characteristics
• Expert
• Credibility
• Attractive
Communication medium
Audience
characteristics
• Self-esteem
• Inoculated
Message
content
• Present all sides
• Few arguments
• Emotional appeals
• Inoculation effect
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

21. Overview of the next chapter
Distinguishing task-related and socioemotional conflict
Advantages and disadvantages of conflict in organisations
Six sources of organisational conflict
Five interpersonal styles of conflict management
Structural approaches to managing conflict
Situational influences on negotiations
Types of third-party dispute resolution
 2003 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd PPTs t/a Organisational Behaviour on the Pacific Rim by McShane and Travaglione

22. Power, politics and persuasion