Concepts and Theories of Organizational Politics

Concepts and Theories of nerveal politicsAbstract organizational politics is often defined as Intentional enhancement of self-interest. What it actually representation research provides that It is use of prop whizznt to affect decision making in an plaque or self-serving and organisationally unsanctioned ways. This definition adds to subsistledge of establishmental behavior that the people in the organization reflect governmental behaviors and ability to reflect such behaviors were termed as political skills. These behaviors put forward be both good and illegal with respect to their intensity. However, in reality politics take place due to scarcity of organisational resources as everyone will attempt to perform hitch around and necessitate to be intermit backed to fulfill soulfulnessal interest, but as resources atomic number 18 limited it does zero(prenominal) happen. Moving forward, it is also said that political behavior can be sensed as politics and at the equivalent time as effective management so, it depends on the perception of a somebody. Now talk about reasons of political behavior adopted by people in the organization there are most individual factors as individuals in organizations may be high self-monitors, high mach personality, possess locus of pull strings or may have play alternating(a)s such individuals found to be indulge in politics. As for as organizational factors are concerned there may be role ambiguity, limited resources, high performance pressure or self-serving serving senior private instructors which stimulate the process of politicking within the organization. However, there is a reaction to an action so, people employ to behave defensively in roll to avoid action, incrimination or change. So, organizations should limit the effects of political behavior otherwise they should have to manage the politics effectively by being clear, right away forward, by being honest in their proceeds in order to match the communicated thoughts with their employees, and using defensive behaviors against dirty political players. Moreover, people in organizations want to be attractive and want to make positive image of themselves in the mind of others. This attempt of people of introduced the term intuitive feeling management in the organization by means of which people manage their impression in minds of others. It helps people to take benefits in different aspects and satisfy their interests, which is same(p)ly to be referred as politics. excogitationPfeffer (1992) defined politics as the processes, the actions, the behaviors through which potential spot is utilized and realized. Another author (Dubrin, 2001) defined organizational politics as informal nestes to gaining power through means of other than merit or luck. It could be argued that politics are use primarily to achieve power, either directly or indirectly, e.g., by being promoted, receiving a larger budget or other resources, o r gaining desirable assignments.Many people regard organizational politics as fewthing negative (e.g., pursuing self-interests at the expense of others) and something to be minimized. Consequently, although most people know that organizational politics are common, they avoid saying so when it concerns ones own behavior. It is much common to talk about politics when complaining about a loss to a friend than it is in the context of ones own political interference. When we lucre on an issue, we call it leadership, when we lose, we call it politics. In many organizations, politics is a taboo subject, which makes it difficult for individuals to deal with this crucially important aspect of organizational reality. organisational politics are neither good nor bad, although it is important for us to distinguish between ethical and unethical political behavior. organizational politicsWhen people get together in groups, power will be exerted. People want to carve out niche from which to ex ert allure, earn rewards, and advance their careers. When employees in organizations interchange their power in to action it is describe as to them as being engaged in politics. Those with good political skills have the ability to use their bases of power efectively.1Defining Organizational politicsOrganizational politics refers to Intentional enhancement of self-interest by kinicki in 1990, it means that a person with his intention stress to influence the others in the organization in order to enhance his personal interests. Furtherto a greater extent, with reference to the study subjected to political Alignments in Organizations and Power and Influence in Organizations do by S.B. Bacharach and E.J. Lawler, R.M. Kramer and M.A. Neale respectively in 1998 defines organizational politics as It is focused on use of power to affect decision making in an organizations or self-serving and organizationally unsanctioned behaviors. In explanation a person use his power or authority to i nfluence the decisions do by organization or use his power to serve himself with organizational resources and also to its extreme perform or reflect such a behavior that is prohibited in the organization.Political skillsIt can be defined as The ability to influence others in such a way as to enhance ones objective2, according to this definition a person if have such an impact on others that they act in accordance with him to achieve his goal or objective. So, if a person used to create required behavior coming from others which at the end help to accomplish that particular(a) persons objectives, the person is said to be have political skills.Political behaviorIt refers to the Activities that are not required as part of a persons formal role in the organization but that influence, or attempt to influence, the dissemination of advantages and disadvantages within the organization.3 In simple words such a behavior within the organization that is not required by job or organization bu t rather exercised in attempt to take advantages in certain conditions. Moreover, this definition is broad enough to include varied political behaviors such as withholding key information from decision makers, joining a coalition, whistle blowing, spreading rumors, leaking confidential information to the media, exchanging favors with others in the organization for mutual benefits, and lobbying on behalf of or against a specific individual or decision alternative.Types of political behavior at that place are devil display cases of organizational politics that are as follows true(a) political behaviorIllegitimate political behaviorLegitimate political behaviorInterviews with experienced managers revealed that the political behavior is a major part of organizational life.4 Many manager reports that the use political behavior is both ethical and necessary, as long as it does not directly harms anyone else. So, this role of political behavior is subjected to normal routine politics th at take place every single day within the organization.Illegitimate political behaviorAs described preceding(prenominal) political behavior is part of organizational life, some managers repot it to be good but to which extent? The intensity of politics done refers to another type of political behavior. So we can say that extreme politics that violates the implied rules of the game in organization reflect to be illegitimate or illegal type of political behavior, such a behavior would uniformly to be sentenced to punishment.The reality of PoliticsOrganizations are made up of individuals or groups with different values, goals and interests.5 This set up the potential of conflict over the allocation of limited resources, such as departmental budgets, space, project responsibilities and salary adjustments.6 If resources were abundant constituencies within the organization could satisfy their goals. As the resources are limited everyones interests cannot be satisfied. Furthermore, gains by one individual or group are often comprehend as coming at the depreciate of others within the organization whether they are not. These forces create real competition among members for the organizations limited resources.Politics in the eye of beholderA behavior one person labels as organization politics is very likely to go tom like effective management to another. The fact is that the effective management is necessarily political, although in some cases it great power be. Rather, a persons point determines what he or she classifies as organizational politics. For example, one experimental study press outed that power-oriented behavior performed by a permanent employee is seen as more legitimate and less harsh than the same behavior performed by a temporary employee.7 take a look at the following labels used to describe the same phenomenon. These suggest that politics, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.8In simple words these labels describe that at the same time on e may state a political label to be an effective management label. For example, blaming others for a deed is politics on the other hand it may be referred as fixing a person to its state that is an effective management. Let take another example creating conflict in the work setting might be politics but looking from other side it might be am initiative to change or innovation in the organization, and same applies to others.Causes of political behavior There are following factors contributing to political behavior in the organization.9, 10, 11, 12Individual factors mellowed self-monitorsInternal locus of biddingHigh Mach personalityOrganizational investmentPerceived job alternativesOrganizational factorsDeclining of resourcesPromotion opportunitiesRole ambiguityUnclear performance evaluation arrangingZero-sum reward practicesDemocratic decision makingHigh performance pressuresSelf-serving senior managersIndividual factorsHigh self-monitorsThese individuals are more sensitive to s ocial cues, they exhibit high levels of social conformity, and they are more likely to be skilled in political behavior.Internal locus of controlThe organizations consist of such individuals who are more prone to take a proactive stance and attempt to manipulate situations in their favor, which in sense is politics as an individual try to influence the environment.High mach personalityThe individual who wills to manipulate, and have desire for power is comfortable at using politics as a mean to fulfill his or her self-interest.Organizational investmentSome individuals used to have persona investment in the organization in terms of expectations of increased future benefits, the more that person has to lose if forced out and the less likely he or she is to use illegitimate means.Perceived job alternativesAn individual who have more alternative job opportunities due to a favorable job market or the possession of scarce skills or knowledge, a prominent reputation, or influential contac ts right(prenominal) the organization the more likely there is risk that he can take illegitimate political actions.Organizational factorsUnclear performance evaluation systemOrganizations should opt proper performance evaluation system and there should be no subjective performance criteria, no single outcome measure, and there should be no delay in awarding appraisal for a job done.Zero-Sum Reward practicesIt is also called Win/Lose Approach treats the reward pie as placed so that any gain one person or group achieves has to come at the expense of another person or group. This particular approach opted by organization enhances the politics in the organization.Democratic decision makingIn this regard organizations direct managers to behave more democratically, they are told that they should allow employees to revalue them on decisions and that they should rely to a greater extent on group input into the decision process, which cause undue influence on organizational practices.Hig h performance pressureIn an organization the more pressure that employees feel to perform well, the more likely they are to engage in politicking.Self-serving senior managersWhen inside the organization the employees see the people on top engaging in political behavior, especially when they do so successfully and are rewarded for it, a climate is created that supports politicking.Declining resourcesIn an organization people may engage in political actions to safeguard what they have. So, they may stimulate conflicting actions and increase politicking.Promotion opportunitiesAs appraisal is part of organizational practices so, it encourages people to compete for a limited resource and try to positively influence the decision outcome.Role ambiguityIf the organizational practices fail to clearly define the role of particular job within the working environment, it initiates the politicking as the formal role and behaviors required by the organization are ambiguous.Consequences of organiz ational politicsThere are different kinds of employees within an organization so in respond to organizational politics employees reflect different effects, like some employees show decreased job satisfaction13 and reduction in job performacne14. Similarly, some employees feel an increase in anxiety and stress15 while performing their job in political environment. Furthermore, some employees add to turnover ratio16 of organization as they might resign from their job due to political practices in organization.It is also seen that when employees see politics as a threat, they often respond with Defensive behaviors.Defensive behaviorsIt can be defined as Reactive and protective behaviors to avoid action, blame or change.17 there are some examples of such behaviors in Avoiding actionOver conformingStrictly interpreting your responsibility by saying things like This is the way we have always done it.Buck passingTransferring the responsibility for the execution of a task or decision to som eone else.Playing dumbAvoiding an unwanted task by falsely pleading ignorance and inability.StretchingDelaying a task so that one person seems to b stucked in a particular task.StallingAppearing to be more or less supportive publically while doing little or nothing privately.There are some examples of such behaviors in Avoiding blame BuffingA person tries to cover his back by projecting an image of competence and thoroughness.Playing safeIt refers to taking responsibility of such projects which have high chances of success, have risky decisions approved by superiors, and in which one can take neutral position in conflicts.Justifying underdeveloped explanation or apologizing for a task which has negative outcomes.Scapegoating oneness attempts to place blame on external factors for a negative outcome.MisrepresentingIt involves manipulation of information by distortion, deception or selective presentation.There are some examples of such behaviors in Avoiding changePreventionA person t ries to prevent a exist change from occurring.Self-protectionA person acts in such ways that he can protect his self-interest during change by guarding information or other resources.Limiting effects of political behaviorThe worldwide organizations confront the political behavior from the side of employees which sometimes act in good faith of organization but to the same extent it can damage the organizational goals and objectives, in case if the personal interests of a person or group of persons sire a hurdle in the way of organizational performance. In response to such violation organizations should take possible measure such asThere should be open flow of communication.The employees should be provided sufficient resources to fulfill their interests.The rules and regulations should be defined clearly.The information dissemination should be done such a modal value that there should be no addition while passing from one level to another.The political norms should be removed.Hire those employees who reflect lower levels of political skills.Managing organizational politics effectivelyAs politics are major part of an organization, as the organization consists of individuals and group of people. However, politics can be managed effectively if one follows these stepsOne should learn the culture and the rules of the game for success in the organization.One should establish credibility and an overall positive impression in the look of others present in the organization.One should build a base of support by forming alliances, groups with key players.One should create and implement formal clear policies, procedures so there is no ambiguity.One should be open and vivid while dealing with employees regarding the decisions which influence them.One should be consistent with what he says and what he acts.One should use defensive behaviors to protect themselves against the dirty political players in the organization. embossment management (IM)As people have ongoing inter est in how others perceived and evaluate them. For example, people in North America spend billions of dollars on diet, health, club membership, cosmetics and plastic surgery, all this is done to make them attractive to others.18 Being perceived positively by others should have benefits for people in organization. I may result into favorable evaluation, superior salary increase, and more rapid promotion. In political context, it might help to take distribution advantages in their favor. So, Impression management can be defined as The process by which individuals attempt to control the impression others form of them.19Impression management techniquesThere are various techniques of impression management which can be opted by people to control their impression others have about them.20 These techniques are as underConformityIt involves agreeing with someone elses opinion to gain his or her approval is a form of ingratiation. For example, a manager tells his boss, You are absolutely righ t on your plan to reorganize the office.ExcuseExcuse refers to an explanation regarding an unpleasant event caused by a person in order to minimize the intensity of anger. It is a defensive IM technique. For example, a sales manager says to his boss, We were not able to put ad in the paper on time, but no one responds to those ads anyway.ApologiesIn apology one admits responsibility for an undesirable event and seeks to get pardon for the action, it is a defensive IM technique. For example, an employee says to his boss, I am sorry I made a mistake in report. Please forgive me.Self promotionIt is a self-focused technique in which one person highlights his own work, best qualities, downplay others deficit and call attention to his own achievement. For example, an employee tells his boss, I accomplish a task in one week which someone else could not do in months. I am the best performer here.FlatteryFlattery is referred as buttering, because while reflecting flattery a person give compl iments about others proceeds in an effort to appear perceptive and likeable to him. For example, a new comer says to experienced, you handled that clients complaint so tactfully, I could neer do that just you did.FavorsIt includes doing something nice for someone to gain his or her approval is a form of ingratiation. For example, a sales person says to client, I have got two tickets to theater tonight, take them. Consider it a thank you for taking your time.AssociationIn association one person do more than required to show how dedicated and hard working he is in organization. For example, a person had performed overtime duty he conveyed that message to his supervisor so he could know he was working hard.EnhancementA self-focused technique in which a person claims that his work done is more valuable than any of other members of organization. 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