Influence, Power, and

Politics in
Organizations
Chapter 12

Learning Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.

Define the concepts of social influence, power, and

organizational politics.
Describe the major varieties of social influence tactics.
Identify the major types of individual power in
organizations.
Describe the two major approaches to the development
of subunit power in organizations (the resource
dependency model and the strategic contingencies
model).
Describe when and where organizational politics occur
and the forms such behavior takes.
Identify the major ethical issues surrounding the use of
political behavior in organizations.
Copyright 2003, Prentice Hall

Basic Definitions
Social Influence:
Influence Attempts to affect another
in a desired fashion, whether or not these
are successful.
Power:
Power The potential to successfully
influence another; the capacity to have a
desired effect on others.
Organizational Politics:
Politics Actions by
individuals that are directed toward the goal
of furthering their own self-interest without
regard for the well-being of others or their
organization.
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Influence, Power, & Politics

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Social Influence Tactics I

Rational Persuasion:
Persuasion Using logical arguments
and facts to persuade another that a desired
result will occur.
Inspirational Appeal:
Appeal Arousing enthusiasm by
appealing to ones values and beliefs.
Consultation:
Consultation Asking for participation in decision
making or planning a change.
Ingratiation:
Ingratiation Getting someone to do what you
want by putting that person in a good mood or
getting him or her to like you.
Exchange:
Exchange Promising some benefits in exchange
for complying with a request.
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Social Influence Tactics II

Personal Appeal:
Appeal Appealing to feelings of loyalty
and friendship before making a request.
Coalition Building:
Building Persuading by seeking the
assistance of others or by noting the support of
others.
Legitimating:
Legitimating Pointing out ones authority to
make a request or verifying that it is consistent
with prevailing organizational policies and
practices.
Pressure:
Pressure Seeking compliance by using
demands, threats, or intimidation.
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Principles of Influence
Friendship/Liking:
Friendship/Liking The more we like other persons or feel
friendship for them, the more likely we are to comply with
their requests or to accept other forms of influence from
them.
Commitment/Consistency:
Commitment/Consistency Once individuals have adopted
a position or committed themselves to a course of action,
they experience strong pressure to comply with requests
that are consistent with these initial commitments.
Scarcity:
Scarcity Requests that emphasize scarcity or the fact that
some object, opportunity, or outcome will soon no longer be
available, are difficult to resist.
Reciprocity:
Reciprocity Individuals generally experience powerful
pressures to reciprocate benefits they have received from
others.

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Individual Power
Position
Power
Power based
on ones
formal
position in an
organization.
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Personal
Power
The power that
one derives
because of his or
her individual
qualities or
characteristics.
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Position Power

Legitimate Power:
Power The individual power base
derived from ones position in an organizational
hierarchy; the accepted authority of ones position.
Reward Power:
Power The individual power base derived
from an individuals capacity to administer valued
rewards to others.
Coercive Power:
Power The individual power base derived
from the capacity to administer punishment to
others.
Information Power:
Power The extent to which a
supervisor provides a subordinate with the
information need to do the job.
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Personal Power

Rational Persuasion:
Persuasion Using logical arguments and
factual evidence to convince others that an idea is
acceptable.
Expert Power:
Power The individual power base derived
from an individuals recognized superior skills and
abilities in certain areas.
Referent Power:
Power The individual power base derived
from the degree to which one is liked and admired
by others.
Charisma:
Charisma An attitude of enthusiasm and optimism
that is contagious; an aura of leadership.

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CEO Power Bases

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Empowerment
The process in which employees are given
increasing amounts of autonomy and discretion
in connection with their work.

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Group or Subunit Power

Resource-Dependency Model:
Model The

view that power resides within

subunits that are able to control the
greatest share of valued
organizational resources.
Strategic Contingencies Model:
Model A
view explaining power in terms of a
subunits capacity to control the
activities of other subunits.
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Resource-Dependency
Model

In this example, the accounting department would be considered more

powerful than either the production department or the marketing
department because it controls more important resources.

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Strategic Contingencies
Model

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The Antecedents of Politics

Personal and organizational variables:
variables
Political behavior is often influenced by a
combination of individual and organizational
factors.
Human resource management:
management Activities
such as performance appraisal, personnel
selection, and compensation decisions are
likely to engender political behavior.
Organizational life span:
span Political behaviors
are more likely to occur as organizations
mature and begin to decline.
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Factors Influencing Politics

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Political Tactics
Gaining

control over and selective

use of information.
Cultivating a favorable impression.
Building powerful coalitions.
Blaming and attacking others.
Associating with powerful others.
Creating obligations and using
reciprocity.
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18

The Ethics of Politics

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Combating Politics

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Determining Ethical Action

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