week 14
Weeks 15 & 16 - Overview & Learning Objectives
Attached Files:
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Assigned Readings:
Chapter 14. Conflict, Power, and Politics.
Overview:
Chapter 14 examines the nature of conflict and use of power and political tactics to reduce conflict. First, intergroup conflict, characteristics of organizations that contribute to conflict, and the use of a political versus a rational model of organization to manage conflict interests are explored, as well as tactics for reducing conflict and enhancing collaboration. Subsequently, there is an examination of individual and organizational power, the vertical and horizontal sources of power, and how power is used to attain organizational goals. Next comes a look at empowerment, or sharing power with lower-level employees. Politics, the application of power and authority to achieve desired outcomes, will also be covered, as well as tactics managers can use to influence others and accomplish goals.
Chapter 14. Conflict, Power, and Politics
Learning Objectives
1. After reading this chapter you should be able to:
2. Identify organizational characteristics that can cause intergroup conflict.
3. Compare and contrast the rational and the political models of organization.
4. Describe the vertical sources of power in organizations.
5. Explain the concept of strategic contingencies as it relates to horizontal power in organizations.
6. Define politics and explain why political activity is necessary.
7. Identify tactics for increasing and for using power.
Reflection and Discussion Forum Week 14
Assigned Readings:
Chapter 14. Conflict, Power, and Politics.
Initial Postings: Read and reflect on the assigned readings for the week. Then post what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding in each assigned textbook chapter.Your initial post should be based upon the assigned reading for the week, so the textbook should be a source listed in your reference section and cited within the body of the text. Other sources are not required but feel free to use them if they aid in your discussion.
Also, provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions:
1. A financial analyst at Merrill Lynch tried for several months to expose the risks of investments in subprime mortgages, but he couldn’t get anyone to pay attention to his claims. How would you evaluate this employee’s power? What might he have done to increase his power and call notice to the impending problems at the firm?
[Your post must be substantive and demonstrate insight gained from the course material. Postings must be in the student's own words - do not provide quotes!]
[Your initial post should be at least 450+ words and in APA format (including Times New Roman with font size 12 and double spaced). Post the actual body of your paper in the discussion thread then attach a Word version of the paper for APA review]
Submitting the Initial Posting: Your initial posting should be completed by Thursday, 11:59 p.m. EST.
Response to Other Student Postings : Respond substantively to the post of at least two peers, by Friday, 11:59 p.m. EST. A peer response such as “I agree with her,” or “I liked what he said about that” or similar comments are not considered substantive and will not be counted for course credit.
[Continue the discussion through Sunday,11:59 p.m. EST by highlighting differences between your postings and your colleagues' postings. Provide additional insights or alternative perspectives]
Evaluation of posts and responses: Your initial posts and peer responses will be evaluated on the basis of the kind of critical thinking and engagement displayed. The grading rubric evaluates the content based on seven areas:
Content Knowledge & Structure, Critical Thinking, Clarity & Effective Communication, Integration of Knowledge & Articles, Presentation, Writing Mechanics, and Response to Other Students.
Give an example from your personal experience of how differences in tasks, personal background, and training lead to conflict among groups. How might task interdependence have influenced that conflict?
The assignment is to answer the question provided above in essay form. This is to be in narrative form and should be as thorough as possible. Bullet points should not to be used. The paper should be at least 1.5 - 2 pages in length, Times New Roman 12-pt font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins and utilizing at least one outside scholarly or professional source related to competitive strategy. The textbook should also be utilized. Do not insert excess line spacing. APA formatting and citation should be used