This document provides an overview of power and politics in organizational behavior. It discusses key topics such as the definition of power, the bases of power including formal and personal power, dependency as the key to power, power tactics, politics in groups and organizations, and factors that influence political behaviors. The document also examines employee responses to organizational politics, impression management, and what constitutes ethical versus unethical political actions.

1. Organizational
Behavior
Power and Politics

2. Allah is Sufficient for us and
what an excellent Guardian He
is!’ [AL-Quran:3.173]

4. COURSE CONTENTS
• A Definition of Power
• Contrasting Leadership and Power
• Bases of Power: Formal Power
• Dependency: The Key To Power
• Power Tactics
• Power in Groups: Coalitions
• Politics: Power in Action
• Factors that Influence Political Behaviors
• Employee Responses to Organizational Politics
• Defensive Behaviors
• Impression Management (IM)
• Is a Political Action Ethical?

5. Example
• Parents and children relationship.
• Teacher and student relationship.
A capacity that A has to influence
the behavior of B so that B acts in
accordance with A’s wishes.
Relationship to A when A possesses
something that B requires.

6. – Focuses on goal
achievement
– Requires goal
compatibility with
followers
– Focuses influence
downward.
– Used as a means
for achieving
goals
– Requires follower
dependency
– Used to gain
lateral and
upward influence.

7. BASES OF POWER
FORMAL POWER PERSNOL POWER
 Coercive
Power.
 Reward Power.
 Legitimate
Power.
 Information
Power.
o Expert
Power
o Referent
Power

8. Is established by an individual’s position in an
organization; conveys the ability to coerce or reward,
from formal authority, or from control of information

9. • The ability to punish or threats
others.
• “FEAR” is used as a motivator.
• a manager using this power can
threat an employee’s job security,
cut his salary, withdraw his
facilities and suspend him etc…

10. • Opposite of coercive power
• enables the leader to
provide additional facilities,
increase in pay or
promotion of subordinate
etc.

11. Legitimate Power
The power a person receives as a result of
his or her position in the formal hierarchy of
an organization.
• Resource controlling, punishing or rewarding
others
• examples:
• A police officer’s legitimacy to make arrests;
• parent’s legitimacy to restrict a child’s
activities or C.E.O of the company have to
control the organization.

12. Information Power
• Power that comes from access to and control
over information.
• Interpreting information when passing it on

13. Expert Power
Influence based on special skills
or knowledge.
• Having knowledge or
expertise in certain area
• Persons like doters
accountants, lawyers etc. all
have expertise in their field.

14. • Influence based on possession by an
individual of desirable resources or
personal traits.
• it is characterized by super confidence,
attractiveness, sharpened leadership
skills, and heightened charm.
• e.g. celebrities in advertisement having
referent power.

15. The greater B’s dependency
on A, the greater the power A
has over B.

16. • Dependency is
increased when
the resource you
control is
Important, Scarce,
and Non
substitutable.

17. • To create dependency the things you control
must be perceived as being important.
• Example:
• Toyota is highly dependent on its engineers &
engineers are given more importance rather
then its marketing group, while
• At proctor & gamble marketing is the name of
the game and marketers are more powerful
group.

18. • If something is plentiful possession, of it
will not increase your power.
EXAMPLE
College administrators have no problem
finding English instructor, but
Market for computer engineering teachers,
in contrast, extremely tight with the demand
high and supply limited.

19. • The more that a resource has no viable
substitutes, the more power that control
over that resource provide.
• EXAMPLE:
• WAPDA (NO SUBSTITUTE)
• PETROL-CNG (SUBSTITUTE)

20. • Legitimacy
• Rational persuasion
• Inspirational appeals
• Consultation
• Exchange
• Personal appeals
• Ingratiation
• Pressure
• Coalitions
Ways in which individuals
translate power bases into
specific actions

21. Upward Influence Downward Influence Lateral Influence
Rational persuasion Rational persuasion Rational persuasion
Inspirational appeals Consultation
Pressure Ingratiation
Consultation Exchange
Ingratiation Legitimacy
Exchange Personal appeals
Legitimacy Coalitions

22. Activities that are not
required as part of
one’s formal role in
the organization, but
that influence, or
attempt to
influence, the
distribution of
advantages or
disadvantages within
the organization

23. Illegitimate Political Behavior
Extreme political behavior that
violates the implied rules of the
game.

27. Avoiding Action
• Overconforming
• Buck passing
• Playing dumb
• Stretching
• Stalling
Avoiding Blame
• Playing safe
• Justifying
• Scapegoating
• Misrepresenting
Avoiding Change
• Prevention
• Self-protection

28. • Conformity
• Excuses
• Apologies
• Self-Promotion
• Flattery
• Favors
• Association
The process by which
individuals attempt to control
the impression others form of
them

29. • An ethical behavior is a that which
applies to proper conduct and overall
morality.
While
• Unethical behavior is behavior that
does not abide by the rules of morality
• They vary from one place to another
within the world.
Ethical and Unethical
Behavior

30. • Ethical behavior in society
• Ethical behavior within the work
place
• Employee’s unethical behavior
• Ethical behavior in academic
institutions
What Constitutes Ethical Or
Unethical Behavior

31. Also known as,
• political morality or
• public ethics
• It is the practice of making moral
judgments about political action and
political agents.
Political ethics

32. 1. What is the utility of
engaging in the
behavior?
2. Does the utility balance
out any harm done by
the action?
3. Does the action
conform to standards of
equity and justice?