Conflict, Power and Politics

BA 152

High

Low

Low

HighConflict Levels

PerformanceLevels

Conflict and Performance

Optimal Conflict Levels

Types of Inter-unit Conflict?

Horizontal Conflict - Conflict between or among functions, work units, or line and staff

E xe c . V PL a tin A m e rica

V P - E a st V P - C e n tra l V P - W e st

E xe c . V PU S

E xe c . V PE u ro pe

C E O

Types of Inter-unit Conflict?

Vertical Conflict - Conflict between or among various organizational levels

E xe c . V PL a tin A m e rica

V P - E a st V P - C e n tra l V P - W e st

E xe c . V PU S

E xe c . V PE u ro pe

C E O

Limited/shared resources

Different goals, status, etc.

Interdependencies

Communication barriers

Uncertain responsibilities

Unequal power distributions

Poorly designed reward systems

Potential Causes ofInterdepartmental Conflict

Possible Consequences ofInterdepartmental Conflict

What will likely happen within each group and between the groups?

WITHIN EACH WORK UNITIncreased cohesivenessGreater focus on tasks

More autocratic leadershipCommunication/roles become more formalized

Possible Consequences ofInterdepartmental Conflict

BETWEEN EACH WORK UNITPerceptions become distorted

Stereotypes turn negativeReduced communication between units

Vicious cycle is perpetuated.

Possible Consequences ofInterdepartmental Conflict

Managing ConflictBetween Groups

Change Structures– Restructure the organization– Develop horizontal links– Buffer the workflow– Manage communications

Managing ConflictBetween Groups

Change Behaviors– Change policies and procedures– Separate groups– Clarify individual responsibilities– Increase resource availability

Managing ConflictBetween Groups

Change Attitudes– Rotate group members– Develop super-ordinate goals– Provide inter-group training– Confront conflict and negotiate

POWER!

1. A social process

2. The capacity to change a situation

3. And not to be changed

Expertise

Effort

Charisma/Referent

Sources of Individual PowerIn the Person

Legitimate

Reward

Coercive

Sources of Individual PowerIn the Position

Power and Authority

Power - A relationship between two or more people exercised in multiple directions.

Authority - Related to power but narrower in scope:– Vested in organizational positions– Must be accepted by subordinates– Flows down the vertical hierarchy

Types of Authority

Line Authority - authority associated with a formal management position

Staff Authority - authority to make recommendations to line managers

Functional Authority - staff authority within a particular functional domain

Operative Authority - individual rights to make decisions about how to do work

Acquisition of scarce resources

Centrality in work flow

Criticality/Non-substitutability

Flexibility/Coping with Uncertainty

Sources of Work Unit Power

Increasing Work Unit Power

1. Acquire scarce/important resources2. Make the unit central in the work flow3. Try to make the unit’s contributions critical to firm success4. Make the unit’s contributions unique to

the firm5. Make the unit as flexible as possible6. Improve the unit’s ability to cope with uncertainty

Politics– the use of power to achieve desirable (or

undesirable) ends, both personal and organizational

Political Processes in Organizations

Rational Model Political ModelCharacteristic

Goals

Power

DecisionProcesses

Rules

Information

Cause & Effects

Decisions

Ideology

Inconsistent

Diffuse & Shifting

Disorderly

Satisfysing

Ambiguous

Disagreements

Satisfysing/Bargaining

Consistent

Centralized

Logical - Rational

Optimization

Accurate

Known

Maximizing

Efficiency Conflict

What is reality?

Rational & Political Models of Organization Actions

Influence EndsAppropriate Inappropriate

Appropriate

InfluenceMeans

Inappropriate

Nonpoliticaljob behavior

DysfunctionalPoliticalBehavior

FunctionalPoliticalBehavior

DysfunctionalPoliticalBehavior

Dimensions of Organizational Politics

Influence EndsAppropriate Inappropriate

Appropriate

InfluenceMeans

Inappropriate

A manager agrees to recommend a raise for her subordinate if he increases his sales by 30% in the next quarter.

A head nurse agrees to assign a subordinate to a better job, if the subordinate doesn’t report her superior for stealing medical supplies.

Some members of the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee used bribery and vote-buying to get the 2002 Winter Olympics.

To increase his power, a manager tries to increase the size of his department by falsifying workload documents so that he can hire several of his friends.

Examples of Organizational Politics

Domains of Political Activity

Reorganization and/or re-structuring

Interdepartmental coordination efforts

Management succession events

Resource allocation activities

1. Build coalitions with appropriate partners

2. Expand networks with appropriate partners

3. Control meeting agendas and decision premises

4. Enhance your legitimacy and expertise

5. Make your preferences explicit, but keep your power implicit

Political Tactics for Using Power

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