Page 317 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR

Management Practices and Organisational Behaviour Pretty Bhalla, Lovely Professional University

Notes Unit 15: Power and Politics

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
15.1 Sources of Power in Organisations
15.2 Consequence of using Power
15.3 Political Behaviour in Organisations
15.4 Political Strategies and Influence Tactics

15.5 Reality of Politics
15.6 Maccoby's Four Political Types
15.7 Summary
15.8 Keywords
15.9 Self Assessment
15.10 Review Questions

15.11 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
Identify interpersonal and structural sources of power in organisations
State the consequences of using power
Describe implications of political behaviour
Explain major political strategies and influence tactics
State Maccoby's four political types

Discuss techniques of impression management

Introduction

Power refers to the potential or actual ability to influence others in a desired direction. As an
exchange relationship, power occurs in transactions between an agent and a target. The agent is
the person using the power, and the target is the recipient of the attempt to use power. Different
individuals and groups within and outside the organisation can exert power. Individual
employees, including top and middle management, technical analysts and specialists, support
staff, and other non-managerial workers can influence the actions an organisation takes to reach
its goals. Formal groups of employees, such as various departments, work teams, management
councils, task forces, or employee unions, as well as informal groups such as those workers with
offices near each other or those who see each other socially, can similarly exercise power. Non-
employees may also try to influence the behaviour of an organisation and its members. Owners,
suppliers' clients, competitors, employee unions, the general public and directors of the
organisation may exert power that affects the organisation. Thus, we may define power as the
ability of a person (or group A) to induce another person (or group B) to behave in a way that the
former desires.

312 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY