Lecture 6: Power and conflict

Question 1

What is power?

Answer 1

The capacity of individuals to:
• overcome resistance on the part of others,
• exert their will,
• produce results consistent with their own interests and objectives.

Question 2

Reward power

Answer 2

the ability to exert influence based on the other’s belief that the influencer
has access to valued rewards which will be dispensed in return for
compliance
• Influencing others by promises of rewards
• Effective only if the rewards are perceived valuable

Question 3

Legitimate power

Answer 3

the ability to exert influence based on the other’s belief that the influencer
has authority to issue orders which they in turn have an obligation to
accept
• The ability to influence other by means of formal authority derived from
the position.
• The higher the rank of the position, the higher the power.

Question 4

Coercive power

Answer 4

the ability to exert influence based on the other’s belief that the influencer
can administer unwelcome penalties or sanctions
• Exercising power through inducing fear
• Punishment or penalty for non-compliance

Question 5

Referent power

Answer 5

the ability to exert influence based on the other’s belief that the influencer
has desirable abilities and personality traits that can and should be copied
• Power as a result of being liked by others

Question 6

Expert power

Answer 6

he ability to exert influence based on the other’s belief that the influencer
has superior knowledge relevant to the situation and the task
• Based on having a specific knowledge or skill
• The less other people know about a subject/skill, the more powerful the
expert is

Question 7

Bio-power

Answer 7

• Establishing normal or abnormal, socially acceptable or deviant in
thought and behavior
• Targeted at society as a whole
• Achieved through discursive practices: talk, writing, debate,
representation

Question 8

Disciplinary power

Answer 8

Targets individuals and groups and works through the construction of social
and organizational rules
Power: a set of techniques (disciplinary practices)
• Tools of surveillance and assessment that are used to control the
individuals
• Standardization of individual behavior
• Composition of forces
• Creation of career systems and job ladders
• Allocation of physical space in offices

Question 9

Empowerment

Answer 9

• Giving people the authority, opportunity, and motivation to take initiative
and solve organizational problems.
• Increase self-efficacy - job satisfaction, OCB, performance

Question 10

Influence

Answer 10

• The process of affecting someone else’s attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors,
without using coercion or formal position (Huczynski, 2004).

Question 11

Four types of managers (

Answer 11

Bystanders
• Shotguns
• Captives
• Tacticians

Question 12

Influence tacticts

Answer 12

Assertiveness
Ingratiation
Rational appeal
Sanctions
Exchange
Upward appeal
Coalition
Blocking

Question 13

Organization politics

Answer 13

Ability to understand others at work, and to use that knowledge to influence others to act in ways
that enhance one’s personal or organizational objectives

Question 14

What are the political skills?

Answer 14

Social
astuteness

Interpersonal
influence

Networking
ability

Apparent
sincerity

Question 15

Personal drivers

Answer 15

Need for power (McClelland, 1961)
• nPow
• nAch
• nAff

Good institutional managers:
• Have high nPow
• Use their power to achieve organizational goal
• Participative leadership
• Willing to sacrifice self-interest for organizational welfare

Question 16

Machiavellianism

Answer 16

Ends justify the means
A personality trait or style of behavior towards others which is
characterized by:
• The use of guile and deceit in personal relations,
• A cynical view of the nature of other people,
• Lack of concern with conventional morality.

Question 17

Conflict

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Unitarist

Answer 18

conflict is harmful and to be avoided

Question 19

Pluralist

Answer 19

conflict is inevitable

Question 20

Interactionist

Answer 20

conflict is essential

Question 21

Functional conflict

Answer 21

supports organization goals and improves performance

Question 22

Dysfunctional conflict

Answer 22

does not support organization goals and hinders

organizational performance

Question 23

conflict management

Question 24

Negotiation

Answer 24

A social process through which two or more interdependent parties make
decisions, allocate resources or resolve disputes.
• Distributive negotiation
• Integrative negotiation

Question 25

Distributive negotiation

Answer 25

Win-lose negotiation
• Fixed amount of assets divided between parties
• Main concern: lose less than the other party
Threats & promises
Pursuing own outcomes

Question 26

Integrative negotiation

Answer 26

Win-win negotiation
• Mutual problem-solving, enlarging assets
• Pursuing joint outcomes
How to achieve this?
• Free flow of information
• Frame differences as opportunities
• Reduce costs
• Increase resources
• Superordinate goals

Question 27

Functions and benefits of conflict

Answer 27

• Creates awareness for problems and incentives to solve them
• Promises organizational change and adaptation
• Can strengthen relationships and heighten morale
• Promotes awareness of self: What is your trigger?
• Enhances personal and psychological development
• Conflicts can be fun: People feel aroused, involved, and alive

Question 28

Organizational justice

Answer 28

personal evaluation about the ethical and moral standing of managerial
conduct

Employees’ perception of whether their manager and their organization
have acted fairly

Question 29

Components of organizational justice

Answer 29

Distributive
• Are the sources allocated fairly?

Procedural
• Is the decision-making process fair?

Interactional
• Are individuals treated with dignity in their
interactions?

Question 30

Consequences of organizational justice