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Discussion Unit 6

Discussion Unit 6

Lauren Willett

University of the Cumberlands

Chapter 13: Power and Politics

When discussing the various factors that influence an employee’s behavior, there tends to be an increased focus on the more concrete concepts. The following chapter examines what is considered the more abstract concept of power. The text defines power as a capacity that A has to influence the behavior of B so that B acts in accordance with A’s wishes (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 208). When assessing the amount of power that an individual posses over another individual the function of dependence must be taken into consideration. Dependence is defined as B’s relationship to A when A possesses something that B requires (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 208). For example, as an individual expands their options, the overall power that is placed in another one person’s hands decreases tremendously.

After comprehending the textbook meaning of power, it can then be divided into two general groupings: formal power and personal power. Formal power is derived from the individual’s hierarchal position within their organization, while personal power is established from factors that are based around one’s popularity. When comparing the effectiveness of each division of power, research has shown that personal power has the upper hand (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 210). While power has the potential to direct an organization towards success, it also possesses the ability to corrupt.

As the examination of power continues from simply understanding what provides an individual with power to what transpires when this power is utilized, political behavior must be added into the equation. The authors define political behavior as activities that are not required as part of a person’s formal role in the organization but that influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within the organization (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 216). While political behavior can be often generalized as negative due to the work environment that most individuals are exposed to, it can also be utilized in order to complete objectives. In addition, an employee who strengths lay in politicking is more likely to receive higher performance evaluations, which then positively affect their salary and overall position within the company (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 225). When the application of both power and politics is present, an individual will simultaneously face ethical considerations. Deciding if the use of these factors is worth the risk will help an organization refrain from corruption.

Chapter 14: Conflict and Negotiation

When comparing different organizations one trait that they all have in common is the presence of conflict. The text defines conflict as a process that begins when one part perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 226). The word conflict carries a rather negative connotation although that is not always the case. When assessing a conflict it can be categorized as either functional conflict or dysfunctional conflict. The difference being that functional conflicts supports the goals of the group and improves performance while dysfunctional conflict hinders group performance (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 227).

Digging further into this division the specific types of conflicts are introduced. For example, process conflicts exhibit a conflict over how a particular task gets completed. In addition to understand the various categorizations that are involved when analyzing conflict, the conflict process must also be taken into consideration. This process consists of five stages that are known as potential opposition or incompatibility, cognition and personalization, intentions, behaviors, and outcomes. Finding a healthy level of conflict is crucial for a company to stimulate creativity but without hindering overall performance.

After comprehending the influence of conflict in a work environment, the discussion can then be focused on the application of negotiation. The authors define negotiation as a process that occurs when two or more parties decide how to allocate scarce resources (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 235). The act of negotiating can be separated into two distinctive approaches, such as distributive bargaining and integrative bargaining. Distributive bargaining encompasses a win-lose situation, as a fixed amount of either a good or service is being divided amongst the two individual groups. In contrast, integrative bargaining considers settlements that resemble more of a win-win situation (Robbins & Judge, 2018, p. 237). When assessing which individuals will be more effective in negotiations factors such as personality, mood/emotions, culture, and gender must be taken into consideration. For example, individuals who portray an extreme sense of confidence are more likely to benefit from the negotiation. In order to retain a sense of efficiency when reflecting negotiations individuals must ensure they carry a positive reputation in which trust is characterized.

References

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2018). Essentials of Organizational Behavior. New York, NY: Pearson, Fourteenth Edition, 208, 210, 216, 225-227, 235, 237.