Organizational
politics is the management of influence to obtain ends not sanctioned by the
organization or to obtain sanctioned ends through non-sanctioned means. The important point to emphasize about
organizational politics is the legitimacy of both the outcomes and the methods
used to achieve them.
Political Activities
may be classified by political outcomes and political methods. Political methods may be divided into
organizational approval and organizational disapproval. Political outcomes may be positive or
negative. These classifications can
result in the following:
|
Classification |
Definition |
Example |
|
Approved
methods and approved outcomes |
Used
to achieve sanctioned outcomes. |
Product
development agrees to speed up production of a prototype because marketing has
learned that a competitor is ahead in its product development activity. |
|
Approved
methods and unapproved outcomes |
Organization’s
rules are followed to achieve organizationally undesirable outcomes. |
Manager
covers up the drug addiction of a subordinate by giving him an overseas
assignment. |
|
Unapproved
methods and approved outcomes |
Pursuit
of valued outcomes by using questionable methods. |
Production
Unit might hoard supplies, or order excessive amounts of raw materials, to
ensure steady production operations. |
|
Unapproved
methods and unapproved outcomes. |
Most
flagrant form of political activity in organizations. |
Inside trader’s shifts funds in his personal
portfolio to purchase stock in a company which is the target of a secret
take-over bid. |
1.
Whistle-Blowing
|
Goes
to authority bypasses the organizational hierarchy of authority. |
2.
Line versus staff Conflict
|
Withhold information,
gaining access to executives, building better images, and increasing
centrality. |
3.
Sponsorship and coalition-building
|
Attaching
to someone with power. |
4.
Insurgency or resisting authority
|
‘Following
the letter of the law’ or interpreting and enforcing policies in a manner
unintended by management. |