This document discusses power and politics in organizations. It defines power as one's ability to influence others, and notes that power comes from formal positions or informal personal characteristics. There are nine tactics people use to influence others, such as rational persuasion, inspiration appeals, or pressure. Individual factors like personality and job outlook influence political behavior. Organizational factors like ambiguous roles, performance pressures, and self-serving managers can also encourage politics in the workplace.

1. Name- Shefali Mohaley
Application number-
e600802be5a711e9b8775f508
553911c
Course Name- Academic
Writing
Banaras Hindu University,
Varanasi

2. POWER AND POLITICS IN
ORGANIZATIONS: Power
Tactics and Factors
Contributing to Political
Behavior in Organizations

3. Power and Political behavior are natural
processes in any group or organizations. We
need to know how power is acquired and
exercised if you are to fully understand
organizational behaviour.
POWER refers to the capacity that A has to
influence the behavior of B so B acts in
accordance with As wishes.

4. Bases of Power: what power holders
control that allow them to manipulate behavior of
others.
A- Formal: Individuals position in an
organization.
3 types – Coercive power
Reward power
Legitimate power
B- Informal: Personal power comes from
individuals unique characteristics.
2 types – Expert power
Referent power

6. Tactics which people
use to translate
power bases into
specific actions.
Options they have
for influencing their
bosses, co-workers
or employees.

7. Nine Power Tactics have been
Identified.
 Legitimacy- Relying on your authority
position or saying a request which accords
with organizational policies or rules.
 Rational Persuasion- Presenting logical
arguments and factual evidence to
demonstrate a request is reasonable.
 Inspirational Appeals- Developing
emotional commitment by appealing to
target values, hopes and inspiration or
increasing confidence.

8.  Consultation- Increasing the targets support
by involving him/her in deciding how will you
accomplish your plan.
 Exchange- Rewarding the target with
benefits or favors in exchange for following a
request.
 Personal Appeals- Asking for compliance
based on friendship and loyalty.
 Pressure- Using warnings, repeated
demands and threats.

9.  Ingratiation- Using flattery, praise or friendly
behavior prior making a request.
 Coalition – Enlisting aid or support of others to
persuade the target to agree.
Some tactics tend to be more effective than
others.
Rational persuasion, Inspirational appeals and
consultation tend to be most effective when the
audience is highly interested in outcome of
decision process. Pressure tends to backfire and
is least effective.

11. INDIVIDUAL FACTORS
 High Self Monitors- more sensitive to social
cues, exhibit higher level of social conformity
and are skilled in political behavior.
 Internal Locus of Control- attempt to
manipulate situations in their favor, can control
the situations.
 High Machiavelian Personality- will to
manipulate and desire for power.

12.  Organizational Interest- more the person has
invested in organization and expected
success, more is the influence to pursue
illegitimate means of political behavior.
 Perceived Job Alternatives- more job
alternatives an individual has, or more
influential contacts, the more he/she is to risk
illegitimate political action.
 Expectation of Success- If an individual has
low expectation of success in using illegitimate
means it is unlikely that he/she will attempt to
do so.

13. ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS
 Reallocation of Resources- Downsizing leads
to reduction in resources and threatened by this
people engage in political actions.
 Promotion opportunities- Encourages people to
compete for a limited resource and try to positively
influence decision outcomes.
 Low Trust- Less trust within the organization,
higher level of political behavior of illegitimate kind.
 Role Ambiguity- when prescribed behavior is
not clear, and political actions are not part of
formal role, they engage in political activity with
little chance of being visible.

14.  Unclear performance evaluation system-
when single outcome measure is emphasized
individuals do whatever is necessary to “look
good” on that measure.
 Zero sum reward practice- treating the
reward pie as fixed, If I Win You Must Lose.
 Democratic Decision making- Sharing
power with others runs directly against some
managers desires.

15.  High Performance Pressure- more pressure
employees feel, more they engage in politicking.
 Self serving senior managers- when
employees see top management engaging in
politicking a climate is created that supports
politicking.

16. Acknowlegdement
 I would like to express my special thanks
of gratitude to the University Swayam
cordinator Dr. Ajay Semalty, (H.N.B.
Garhwal University) to give us this
opportunity for doing such a wonderful
course of Academic Writing. It was a very
rich learning experience as PG student.
Thankyou sir.
 I really enjoyed doing this course.

17. REFERENCES
 https://www.managementstudyguide.com/pow
er-and-politics.htm
 https://hbr.org/1970/05/power-and-politics-in-
organizational-life
 https://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/sablynskic/chapte
r13march2006.htm`