Power and politics: nature, bases of power, politics nature, types, causes of organizational politics, political games

1. Dr. Parveen Nagpal
2 P’s
Power and Politics

2. Dr. Parveen NagpalPower
Organization consists of many individuals who have to
coordinate their activities to achieve goals and objectives.
Power may be sometimes necessary for smooth functioning.
“Power is defined as a force that results in behaviour that
would not have occurred if the forces had not been present”
– Mechanic (1962)
“Power is the ability of one person or group of persons to
influence the behaviour of others, that is, to change the
probabilities that others will respond in certain ways to
specified stimuli” – Kaplan (1964)

3. Dr. Parveen NagpalPower
In the words of Stephen Robbins, “Power refers to a capacity
that A has to influence the behaviour of B, so that B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes”
This definition implies that there is a potential for power if
someone is dependent on another. But one can have power
and not impose it.
Probably the most important aspect of power is that it is a
function of dependency.
The more that B depends on A, the more power A has in the
relationship.

4. Dr. Parveen NagpalNature of Power
• Power is the ability to make things happen the way an
individual wants
• Power is specific in the sense that it may be exercised by
some people in some circumstances
• It requires dependence of one person on the other. It is
based on two-way concept of
influencing others and being
influenced.

5. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power
Where does power come from?
What is it that gives an individual or a group influence over
others?
The answer to these questions was developed by social
scientists John French and Bertrand Raven, who first
presented a five-category classification scheme of sources or
bases of power:
Coercive, Reward, Legitimate, Expert and Referent.

6. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power
1. Coercive Power - is defined by French and Raven as being
dependent on fear. One reacts to this power base out of
fear of the negative results that might occur if one fails to
comply. At the personal level, individuals use coercive
power by using physical strength, words, or the ability to
grant or withhold emotional support from others. These
bases provide the individual with the means to physically
harm, bully, humiliate, or deny love to others

7. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power
2. Reward Power - opposite of coercive power. People will
go along with the wishes of others if doing so produces
positive benefits. This could include money, favourable
performance appraisals, promotions, challenging work
assignments, friendly colleagues, preferred work shifts or
sales territories etc.
3. Legitimate Power - represents the power a person
receives as a result of his position in the organization. It is
broader than the power to coerce and reward. It includes
acceptance by members of an organization of the
authority of a position.

8. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power
4. Expert Power - is influence based on expertise, special
skills, or knowledge. It has become one of the most
powerful sources of influence as the world has become
more technologically oriented. Computer specialists, tax
accountants, economists, and other specialists can have
power as a result of their expertise. Young people may
have increased power because of the technical
knowledge and expertise than their Baby-Boomer
managers.

9. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power
5. Referent Power - develops out of admiration of an
individual and a desire to be like that person. If we
admire someone to the point of modelling our behaviour
and attitudes after him or her, that person possesses
referent power over us. Referent power explains why
celebrities are paid millions of dollars to endorse
products in commercials.

10. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power
6. Information Power - comes from access to and control
over information. People in an organization who have
data or knowledge that others need can make those
others dependent on them. Managers, for instance,
because of their access to sales, cost, salary, profit, and
similar data, can use this information to control and
shape subordinates’ behaviour.

11. Dr. Parveen NagpalBases of Power

12. Dr. Parveen NagpalOrganizational Politics

13. Dr. Parveen NagpalOrganizational Politics
Organizational politics are informal, unofficial, and
sometimes behind-the-scenes efforts to sell ideas, influence
an organization, increase power, or achieve other targeted
objectives (Brandon & Seldman, 2004; Hochwarter, Witt, &
Kacmar, 2000).
Aristotle stated that politics stems from a diversity of
interests, and those competing interests must be resolved in
some way.
Political behaviour arises when rational decision making does
not work as interests are fundamentally incongruent.

14. Dr. Parveen NagpalNature of Organizational Politics
• It aims at personal benefit arising out of use of power.
• It is a deliberate effort on part of people to use politics as
a source of widening their power base.
• It is not part of a persons job requirement, it is used to
benefit a person.
• It can be legitimate or illegitimate political behaviour.
• It moves against rationality because decisions are based
on compromises and bargain and not rational acts.
• Politics takes place when individual recognizes that
achievement of his goals is influenced by behaviour of
others.

15. Dr. Parveen NagpalTypes of Organizational Politics
I. Legitimate Political Behavior: refers to normal everyday
politics - complaining to supervisor, bypassing the chain
of command, obstructing organizational policies or
decisions through inaction or excessive adherence to
rules, and developing contacts outside the organization
through one’s professional activities.
II. Illegitimate Political Behavior: violates the implied rules
of the game. Illegitimate activities include sabotage,
whistleblowing, and symbolic protests such as wearing
unorthodox dress or protest buttons.

16. Dr. Parveen NagpalCauses of Organizational Politics
Individual Factors
Internal locus
of control
High self
monitors
Machiavellianism
Organizational Factors
Declining resources
Role Ambiguity
Downsizing
Autocratic Leaders
Partiality and
Biasness
Lack of trust

17. Dr. Parveen NagpalConsequences of Organizational Politics
• Low Job satisfaction
• High Stress
• Organizational Conflicts
• Low Performance
• Goal Displacement (Satisfaction of personal goals instead
of organizational goals)
• High absenteeism and turnover

18. Dr. Parveen NagpalPolitical Games
Henry Mintzberg, one of the business gurus, has described a
set of political games that exists in organizations:
1. Insurgency Game: Normally played to resist authority. It
is usually played by “lower level employees” who feel
maximum weight of authority. Trade unions play this
game.
2. Counter-insurgency Game: Played by the higher level
authorities to fight back against insurgents. Management
plays it with legitimate power.

19. Dr. Parveen NagpalPolitical Games
3. Sponsorship Game: It is played by lower level people in
organizations to build power through attaching oneself
to those who can help them in future. Individuals attach
himself with someone having more status by promising
that he will be loyal to him in return for the power.
4. Alliance-building Game: It involves building power
through peer networks. It is played horizontally through
the organization by line managers who support each
other.

20. Dr. Parveen NagpalPolitical Games
5. Budgeting Game: Budgeting often has clear rules and this
game is about getting the most money an individual can,
by asking for too much with the knowledge that he will
get only a part of what is asked for.
6. Expertise Game: This is played by people with expert
power, where they manage their knowledge and skills
more for their own gain than for that of the company.
For example, they will only give out information or help
those who can help them back in the future.

21. Dr. Parveen NagpalReferences
7. Empire-building Game: It is played particularly by
managers to build their power base, not with peers but
with subordinates.
8. Lording Game: This is played with the power of one's
position, for example where a senior manager assembles
his staff and makes pronouncements, sending them off
to do his or her bidding (which may, of course, not be in
the interests of the company).

22. Dr. Parveen NagpalPolitical Games
9. Line vs. Staff Game: It is played between line managers
and staff advisors. It puts line managers with formal
decision making authority against staff advisors. The staff
often have no direct authority, which allows the line
managers to refuse or resist.
10. Rival Camps Game: It is played to defeat a rival. This
often happens between departments, such as
manufacturing and research, marketing and sales, etc.
where there are different expertise, goals and interests.

23. Dr. Parveen NagpalPolitical Games
11. Strategic Candidates Game: It is played to bring change in
the organization. Individuals/ groups try to bring the
changes wanted by them, with the use of political means.
12. Whistle-blowing Game: This is where an insider leaks
information (perhaps to the press). He may be a lower
level employee to an influential outsider, on
questionable or illegal behaviour of the organization.
(Ref.: http://changingminds.org/explanations/behaviors/games/mintzberg_game.htm)

24. THANK YOU
Dr. Parveen Nagpal
www.linkedin.com/in/dr-parveen-kaur-nagpal-82965b15