Download Conflict

18-1
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Chapter 13: Power and
Politics
13-2
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
POWER
Power refers to a capacity that A has to influence
the behavior of B, so that B acts in accordance with
A’s wishes.
 Power may exist but not be used.
Probably the most important aspect of power is
that it is a function of dependence.
A person can have power over you only if he or she
controls something you desire.
13-3
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Leadership and Power
Contrasting Leadership and Power
 Leaders use power as a means of attaining group
goals.
 Goal compatibility
Power does not require goal compatibility,
only dependence.
 The direction of influence
Leadership focuses on the downward
influence on one’s followers.
 Leadership research emphasizes style.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-4
Bases of Power
Formal Power = Position in organization
 Coercive (Force) Power
 Reward Power
 Legitimate Power
Personal Power
 Expert Power
 Referent Power
13-5
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Bases of Power
Which Bases of Power Are Most Effective?
 Personal sources are most effective.
 Both expert and referent power are positively
related to employees’ satisfaction with
supervision, their organizational commitment,
and their performance, whereas reward and
legitimate power seem to be unrelated to these
outcomes.
 Coercive power usually fails.
13-6
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Role of Dependence
in Power Relationships
The General Dependency Postulate
 When you possess anything that others require
but that you alone control, you make them
dependent upon you and, therefore, you gain
power over them.
 Dependence, then, is inversely proportional to
the alternative sources of supply.
13-7
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Role of Dependence
in Power Relationships
What Creates Dependence?
 Importance
 Scarcity
 Nonsubstitutability
13-8
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Power or Influence
Tactics and their Contingencies
Research has identified nine distinct influence tactics:
1. Legitimacy-authority of position
2. Rational persuasion-reasonable
3. Inspirational appeals-emotional commitment
4. Consultation-involving
5. Exchange-rewarding in axchange
6. Personal appeals-friendship
7. Ingratiating-friendly behavior
8. Pressure
9. Coalitions
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-9
13-9
Nine Power or Influence
Tactics and their Contingencies
Some tactics are more effective than others.
 Rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, and
consultation are most effective when the
audience is highly interested in the outcomes.
 Pressure tends to backfire.
 Both ingratiation and legitimacy can lessen the
negative reactions from appearing to “dictate”
outcomes.
13-10
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-10
13-11
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-11
Nine Power or Influence
Tactics and their Contingencies
People in different countries prefer different power
tactics.
 Individualistic countries see power in
personalized terms and as a legitimate means of
advancing their personal ends.
 Collectivistic countries see power in social terms
and as a legitimate means of helping others.
13-12
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-12
Power or Influence
Tactics and their Contingencies
People differ in terms of their political skill – their
ability to influence others to enhance their own
objectives.
 The politically skilled are more effective users of
all influence tactics.
Cultures within organizations differ markedly: some
are warm, relaxed, and supportive; others are
formal and conservative.
 People who fit the culture of the organization
tend to obtain more influence.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-13
13-13
Power or Influence
Tactics and their Contingencies
Does power corrupt?
 Power leads people to place their own interests
ahead of others.
Powerful people react, especially negatively, to
any threats to their competence.
 Power leads to overconfident decision making.
 Those most likely to abuse power are those who
are low in status and gain power.
 Power doesn’t affect everyone in the same way,
and there are even positive effects of power.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-14
13-14
Question: Show the Connection Between
Sexual Harassment and the Misuse of
Power
Sexual harassment – any unwanted activity of a
sexual nature that affects an individual’s
employment and creates a hostile work
environment.
Surveys indicate between 25 and 40 percent of
individuals report being sexually harassed.
13-15
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Questions: Show the Connection Between
Sexual Harassment and the Abuse of Power
The concept of power is central to understanding
sexual harassment.
 Sexual harassment is more likely to occur when
there are large power differentials.
Sexual harassment by the boss typically creates the
greatest difficulty for those being harassed.
13-16
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Question: Show the Connection Between
Sexual Harassment and the Abuse of Power
Managers have a responsibility to protect their
employees from a hostile work environment, but
they also need to protect themselves.
 Managers may be unaware of sexual harassment,
but being unaware does not protect them or
their organization.
 If investigators believe a manager could have
known about the harassment, both the manager
and the company can be held liable.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-17
Political Behavior
Political behavior – activities that are not required
as part of one’s formal role in the organization, but
that influence the distribution of advantages within
the organization.
 Outside of one’s specified job requirements.
 Encompasses efforts to influence decision making
goals, criteria, or processes.
 Includes such behaviors as withholding
information, whistle blowing, spreading rumors,
and leaking confidential information.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-18
13-19
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-20
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Impression
Management Techniques
Impression management (IM) – the process by
which individuals attempt to control the impression
others practice about them.
 Mostly high self-monitors.
 Impressions people convey are not necessarily
false – they might truly believe them.
 Intentional misrepresentation may have a high
cost.
Studies show the effectiveness of IM depends on the
situation, such as job interviews and performance
evaluations.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-21
Determine Whether a
Political Action Is Ethical
The Ethics of Behaving Politically
 Questions to consider:
What is the utility of engaging in politicking?
How does the utility of engaging in the
political behavior balance out any harm (or
potential harm) it will do to others?
Does the political activity conform to
standards of equity and justice?
 Immoral people can justify almost any behavior.
 Recognize the ability of power to corrupt.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
13-22
CONFLICT
Conflict – a process that begins when one party
perceives that another party has negatively affected,
or is about to negatively affect, something that the
first party cares about.
 If no one is aware of a conflict, then it is generally
agreed no conflict exists.
 Also needed to begin the conflict process are
opposition or incompatibility and interaction.
14-23
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
LO 1
Differentiate Between the Traditional
and Interactionist Views of Conflict
The Traditional View of Conflict
 The traditional view of conflict – conflict was a
dysfunctional outcome resulting from poor
communication, a lack of openness and trust
between people, and the failure of managers to be
responsive to the needs and aspirations of their
employees.
Assumed all conflict was bad and to be avoided.
Viewed negatively and discussed with such
terms violence, destruction, and irrationality.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
14-24
LO 1
Differentiate Between the Traditional
and Interactionist Views of Conflict
The Interactionist View of Conflict
 According to the interactionist view of conflict a
harmonious, peaceful, tranquil, and cooperative
group is prone to becoming static, apathetic, and
unresponsive to needs for change and innovation.
 But not all conflicts are good.
Functional conflict supports goals.
Conflicts that hinder group performance are
dysfunctional or destructive forms of conflict.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
14-25
Describe the Three Types of
Conflict and the Three Loci of Conflict
LO 2
Types of Conflict
 Researchers have classified conflicts into three
categories:
1. Task conflict relates to the content and goals
of the work.
2. Relationship conflict focuses on interpersonal
relationships.
3. Process conflict is about how the work gets
done.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
14-26
Describe the Three Types of
Conflict and the Three Loci of Conflict
LO 2
Locus of Conflict
 Another way to understand conflict is to
consider its locus, or where the conflict occurs.
 There are three basic types:
Dyadic conflict is conflict between two people.
Intragroup conflict occurs within a group or
team.
Intergroup conflict is conflict between groups
or teams.
14-27
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
LO 3
Outline the Conflict Process
14-28
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
LO 3
Outline the Conflict Process
14-29
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
Conflict Process
Stage V: Outcomes
 Conflict can be functional or dysfunctional.
 Conflict is constructive when it…
Improves the quality of decisions, stimulates creativity
and innovation, encourages interest and curiosity,
provides the medium through which problems can be
aired and tensions released, and fosters an environment
of self-evaluation and change.
 Conflict is destructive when it…
Raises unhappiness, reduces group effectiveness, and
threatens the group’s survival.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
14-30
Conflict Process
Managing Functional Conflict
 One of the keys to minimizing counterproductive
conflicts is recognizing when there really is a
disagreement.
Many apparent conflicts are due to people using
different language to discuss the same general
course of action.
 Successful conflict management recognizes these
different approaches.
Attempts to resolve them by encouraging open,
frank discussion focused on interests rather than
issues.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
14-31
Conflict Process
Groups that resolve conflicts successfully discuss
differences of opinion openly.
 The most disruptive conflicts are those that are
never addressed directly.
Managers need to emphasize shared interests in
resolving conflicts.
 Groups with cooperative conflict styles and an
underlying identification to group goals are
more effective than groups with a more
competitive style.
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.
14-32
Conflict Process
Differences across countries in conflict resolution
strategies may be based on collectivistic tendencies
and motives.
 Collectivist cultures see people as deeply
embedded in social situations.
 They will avoid direct expression of conflicts,
preferring indirect methods for resolving
differences of opinion.
14-33
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education Ltd.