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5.2 Power & Politics - Coggle Diagram
5.2
Power & Politics
Power and politics in organisations
we see this as creating a pressurised working environment and a negative organisational culture that leads to poor morale and low levels of commitment from employees (Brouer et al., 2006; Ferris et al., 1996; Pfeffer, 2015).
when we think about power in an organisation it is often seen in terms of leaders and managers exerting their power over staff (who don’t have as much political power). We tend to think of power as a coercive force that makes people do things they do not want to
Daft (2001, p.459) defines power as “the available force or potential to achieve desired outcomes.” In terms of politics, Daft adds that, “politics is the use of power to influence decisions in order to achieve these outcomes.”
for many organisational theorists power and politics are inherent within the social processes that constitute organisations, and are fundamental to achieving organisational goals
n this view, “politics is simply the activity through which power is exercised in the resolution of conflicts and uncertainty” (Daft, 2001, p.459)
Politics involves gaining, developing, and using power to acquire resources, to reach agreement – as part of the decision-making process – or to make things happen.
It can be either a positive or negative force, depending on the way it is used and the aims for which it is used.
Power and politics can have a negative influence, and can be damaging to organisations and individuals alike
Political skills can also be used in positive way to generate consensus, deal successfully with problems and support change.
Political behaviour can involve cultivating influential allies, controlling the flow of information and influencing decisions through an individual’s informal power – power that is not recognised within the formal structure of the organisation.
Conceptualisations of power
a form of authority (Formal 'hard' Power)
e.g. ruler
Originates from the top and trickle down the pyramid
Could be delegated
entitative
a property that a person possesses (Informal 'soft' Power)
Expert power: Knowledge, and expertise
Political power: Social skills
entitative
a characteristic of social relations (Relational Power)
Power emerge from the social relationship, when there is an imbalance in the relationship
Process
The politics of negotiating power in organisations
Unitarism
The unitarist view presents the organisation as a fundamentally cooperative arrangement in which individuals pursue the organisation’s agreed aims and objectives, disregarding any negative issues of conflict.
Unitarism creates an environment where both the employer and the employees agree on working towards a common goal from the beginning
Pluralism
pluralist view sees organisations as diverse groups of people with different, often divergent needs and aims.
The belief that there should be diverse and competing centres of power in society.
Here conflict is an inherent part of the system and cannot be avoided. To function effectively, conflict must be mitigated and managed through negotiations, influence, and various other approaches.
political activity can be seen as a dialogic process in which authority (power) is negotiated.
Power emerges through an ongoing process of political dialogues that establish how the organisation functions.
When do political processes emerge?
Political processes are generally deployed to reach a consensus in case of disagreements over aims, priorities, when competing over resources, and in the context of decision-making.
Organisational changes more generally generate uncertainty, which managers and executives seek to reduce by engaging in political activity
Resource allocation is another area which leads to disagreements and competition, with political processes being adopted to help smooth over these problems.
Political processes permeate the making of many decisions to supplement (or occasionally bypass) rational decision-making processes
Research by Kipnis et al. (1984) identifies several ways in which individuals can negotiate and maintain their authority and shape decision-making
From this lesson it should become apparent that power is not simply something that is established through organisational structures (or hierarchies of power). These structures are themselves the outcomes of the socio-political dialogic interactions that permeate all aspects of the processes which constitute an organisation.
‘Political skill’ and how to enhance it
Often, the idea of a leader being political is associated with negative perceptions and behaviours. In reality, though, political skill is a necessity and can be a positive skill for leaders to possess when used appropriately.
four key dimensions of political skill (Ferris et al. 2005):
social astuteness
people high in social astuteness have an accurate understanding of social situations as well as the interpersonal interactions that take place in these settings.
interpersonal influence
Politically skilled individuals have a subtle and convincing personal style that exerts a powerful influence on those around them
networking ability
because social networks are deliberately constructed structures, individuals high in networking ability ensure they are well positioned in order to both create and take advantage of opportunities
apparent sincerity.
possessing high levels of integrity, authenticity, sincerity, and genuineness.
Ferris et al. (2005, p.128) do acknowledge that aspects of political skill are dispositional (depending upon an individual’s personality), they also stress that these are skills that can be developed.
Can political skill be enhanced?
Ferris’s academic research establishes the importance of political skill, identifies its key dimensions and they (Braddy and Campbell) can help their readers develop the skills they need to become successful leaders.
However it is important to appreciate that neither Ferris et al. (2005) or Braddy and Campbell (2014) actually prove that successful leaders have strong political skills
from a process view, we should remember that political skill is not a ‘thing’ that people have; rather it emerges within social interactions. By listening, empathising, networking, persuading and negotiating, an individual builds trust and is able to influence others
Political skill and gender
Research suggests that political skill is also related to gender.
Organisations as ‘organised anarchies’
Cohen et al. 1972
Unclear Technology
Processes are poorly understood, with formal procedures failing to reflect what actually happens
Fluid Particirption
People do not participate consistently in organisational activity in line with their formal roles and job descriptions.
Problematic Preferences
Inconsistent and ill-defined priorities and goals that mean stated preferences and actions are often contradictory, and both are constantly being revised or changed.
Weick (1976) uses the term loosely coupled system to describe this sort of organised chaos