Organizational Politics

what is organizational politics?

Politics at work is a fact of organizational life. But what is organizational politics? Is it
backstabbing? Forming alliances? Flattering the boss? As a first response, most people probably
would agree that each of these behaviors is "political". Further reflection, however, leads to
another insight--what is flattering for one person might not be flattering for another. What one
person considers an alliance might be considered a friendship by another person. In short,
politics--like beauty--is in the eye of the beholder.

Everyone practices politics in some form or in some degree in an organization but viewing
politics positively are considered to have a positive force within the organization. Relationships,
norms, processes, performance and outcomes are all enormously affected and influenced by
organizational politics because they are all intertwined into the management system.

" For example, a common suggestion is to learn the likes and dislikes, motivations, and so on of
co-workers and managers. Such knowledge, of course, helps one to avoid negative interpersonal
incidents and fosters the potential for positive experiences--all good "politics". The point,
however, is that such endeavors recognize that subjective differences are important in office
politics.

Why Politics in Organizations:

Employees, as well as leaders, use politics to promote their self-interests, compete for power and
leadership, and build personal physique. In any organization, or group, each and every individual
is willing to defend for themselves before defending for the group as a whole. This can happen in
any situation, at any time. Politically motivated behaviors are

“Activities that are not required as a part of one’s formal role in the organization, but that
influence, or attempt to influence, the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within the
organization” (Farrell and Peterson, 1982).

For example, in any organization, upward and downward communication is used to

communicate messages through employees and different levels of the hierarchy. In order to
communicate effectively, individuals need to be willing to use the proper way of distributing
information by encoding and decoding messages correctly. In any case, an individual may be
willing to communicate messages incorrectly in order to protect their image, state of power, or
control.

“Organizational members engage in strategic message encoding/decoding for purposes of

protecting their ego, enhancing their image, or increasing the probably of receiving favorable
treatment” (Sussman, L., Adams, A., Kuzmits, F. & Raho, L.).

As you can see, the organizational politics being represented in this type of communication can
highly affect the organization in many different ways.

Potentially
Situation political
Gender discrimination
in recruitment or hiring (22.6) behaviours
Arrangements with vendors (23.1)
leading to personal gain
Nonperformance factors (23.5)
used in appraisals (25.8)
Gender discrimination
in compensation (26.4)
Not maintaining (26.9)
confidentiality
(26.9)
Using discipline
inconsistently (28.4)
Gender discrimination (30.7)
in promotion
Sexual (30.7)
harassment
Allowing differences 0
in pay 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Percentage
due to friendships Responding with a 4 or 5 on a five-Point Scale
Measuring Degree of Seriousness (where 5=“very great”)
Hiring, training, or promoting
based on favouritism
 Forming
coalitions

Organizational Politics:
Extent to Which Political Activity is Likely (range 0-3)

More Likely at the Top

Political activity
(1.22)
1.3 is perceived to
1.2 increase at higher (1.07)
1.1 organizational levels
1.0 (.73)
.9
(.50) (.54)
.8
.7
.6 (.18)
.5
.4
Production Clerical
and Technical
and andLower Middle Upper
.3blue collar
white collar
professional
management
management
management
Organizational Level
.2
.1
You scratch my back…