B102 Organisational Behaviour :::::: OB11

6th Presentation
:::: Learning Outcomes
 Describe sources of individual power in organisations.
 Propose how to strengthen bases of power.
 Describe tactics to influence others and their
underpinning power bases.
 Choose appropriate influence tactics based on
situational factors.
 Examine how influence tactics can be seen as political
behaviour and resulting consequences.
:::: Reason for this Problem
Working with People to Get Things Done

Managing Individuals - Job Performance, Satisfaction and Involvement

Managing Interpersonal Processes - Interaction With & Influence Over Others

Judgments and Decisions Interactions Influence

Perception Conflicts Change
Decision-Making Negotiation
Power
Politics
For the Workplace:

Enables you to :- Immediate Benefit:

• Understand why some people might be
more effective in influencing others Use appropriate influence techniques
• Use different techniques to influence or when dealing with difficult situations or
persuade colleagues and staff classmates
:::: Overview and Problem Analysis
what creates Capacity Attempts to how you
this capacity? to exert affect beliefs, attempt to do it
using this
influence over behaviours,
Sources of capacity
others goals, etc. of Influence
Power others in a Techniques
desired manner
Power
Influence
Balancing sources of power:
• Strengthen current sources
• Build new sources Appropriate influence technique
• Weaken others’ sources of for situation depends on:
power? • Influencer’s power base
• Organisational position
• Cultural values / expectations
What Should Melanie Do?
:::: Sources of Power
Derived from one’s position in organisation;
Positional Powers

Legitimate Power accepted authority of one’s position

Derived from one’s capacity to give valued

Reward Power rewards (positive reinforcement) or remove
sanctions (negative reinforcement)

Derived from one’s capacity to administer

Coercive Power punishment or remove benefits (extinction)

Derived from one’s recognised superior skills,

Expert Power
Personal

knowledge or abilities in a certain area

Powers

Derived from how much one is admired / liked

Referent Power by others; others identify with / relate to this
individual
:::: Balance of Power Analysis
Sources of Power Against Maintenance Team

P Legitimate?


o Manages bakery; has taken over from uncle

P Reward


o If she decides on bonus, promotions and etc.

Melanie o Intangible rewards like praises, etc.
 Coercive?
o Dependent on maintenance team

 Expert
o Does not know cause of breakdowns or how to
repair machines

 Referent?
o New - took over only last year
:::: Balance of Power Analysis
Sources of Power Against Melanie
 Legitimate?
o Lower position than Melanie in company

 Reward?

Maintenance P Coercive?


o Failing to perform the job would ‘punish’ the

Team
Melanie.

P Expert


o Maintenance team has modified the machines;

does repairs and no one else knows how to

 Referent
:::: Shifting Melanie’s Power Bases
 Strengthen how maintenance team perceive her positional powers
o Make legitimate power more visible through more frequent and direct
supervision of the team
o Rewarding other teams/staff who perform well in their jobs  highlight
her reward powers in the company

 Build referent power

o Display good leadership and demonstrate positive personal traits like
even-temperedness, friendliness with staff, etc.
o Spend more time with maintenance team – bonding
o Go along with maintenance team during repairs to understand how the
machines work and causes of the breakdowns

 Reduce expert power of maintenance team

o Hire more maintenance staff  reduces centrality of individuals
 :::: Influence Techniques
Easier with
Technique Description
___ Power
Rational
Using logical arguments and facts to persuade Expert
Persuasion
Promising some benefits upon complying with
Exchange Reward
request

Seeking compliance through warning, threat,

Pressuring repeated demands or intimidation
Coercive

Highlighting one’s formal authority to make

Legitimating request OR stressing that request is consistent Legitimate
with organisational policies and practices
Personal Appealing to feelings of loyalty, friendship OR
Referent
Appeal seek compliance as personal favour
 :::: Influence Techniques
Easier with
Technique Description
___ Power
Inspirational Arousing enthusiasm by appealing to one’s
Referent
Appeal values, hopes, needs or aspirations
Getting one in a good mood OR getting them
Ingratiation to relate to and like you OR using flattery and Referent?
praise before making request
Asking one to participate in decision-making or
Consultation planning change to increase support
Legitimate?

Coalition- Enlisting support of others or telling targeted

Any
Building person about support you already have
:::: Techniques for Melanie
Based on Current Sources of Power: Legitimate and Reward
 Exchange
o Promise staff time-off / extra days of holidays / one-time off bonus if they
document problems that they found during breakdowns and repairs that
they made.

 Legitimising
o Inform staff that documenting repairs are standard industry practice.
o Inform staff that she is now running the company and she wants to have
the issues and repairs documented.

 Consultation
o Highlight the delays caused by the breakdowns and ask the maintenance
team to propose suggestions and work with her to develop solutions.
:::: Techniques for Melanie
Based on Current Sources of Power: Legitimate and Reward
 Coalition-building
o Tell staff that other workers similarly want the causes of the breakdowns
to be identified and resolved quickly as it is affecting their work (delays).

Other Techniques that She Can Try

 Rational Persuasion
o Explain to staff the consequences of machine breakdowns: delays  less
profits made  lower bonuses for staff.

 Ingratiation
o Spend time with staff  allow them to get to know her and her visions
for the bakery  more inclined to support her and do documentation.
o Tell staff that her uncle could not have survived in business for 30 years
without their wonderful support and she looks forward to the same.
 :::: Techniques for Melanie
In Long-term, with Stronger Referent Power
 Personal Appeal
o “Please do it for my sake; as a favour to me.”

 Inspirational Appeal
o “Let’s work together to make our workplace productive so that we can
all be proud of our achievements and celebrate our success together.”

Some techniques such as rational persuasion, inspirational appeal and consultation

are more effective in getting long-term commitment. Melanie should seek to build
agreement with maintenance staff in view of developing strong partnership with
them.
:::: Conclusion
 There are 5 sources of power and they facilitate different influence
techniques to be used effectively. Some influence techniques are
more appropriate for a particular situation.

 Melanie most clearly has legitimate and rewards powers against the
maintenance team. The maintenance team most clearly has expert
power against Melanie (and possible coercive power too).

 Melanie can strengthen her positional powers by making these more

visible, build her referent and expert powers, and reduce the expert
power of the maintenance team to shift the power balance.

 With her current sources of power, she can use exchange, coalition-
building, legitimising and consultation. She should consider rational
persuasion and ingratiation too. In long-run, with stronger referent
power, she can use personal and inspirational appeals.
EXTENDED LEARNING A
:::: Contingencies of Power
 Substitutability - availability of alternatives. Power is strongest when
one has a monopoly over a valued resource, tasks or knowledge.
 Centrality - degree and nature of interdependence between power
holder and others (i.e. number of people affected, speed at which
others are affected).
o High centrality: most people adversely affected by your absence and
they would be affected quickly.

 Discretion - freedom to make decisions without referring to specific

rule or receiving permission from someone else.
 Visibility - known to others; only when a person’s source of power is
visible will it be meaningful.
EXTENDED LEARNING B
:::: Organisational Politics
 Organisational politics are behaviours that are done to serve the
interests of the individual or group.
 Legitimate political behaviour - does not disrupt organisational
activities significantly and is prevalent in regular work activities
(e.g. forming coalitions and providing feedback to the supervisors).
 Organisational politics have positive functions such as (i) correct the
slowness of formal processes; (ii) ensure that the fittest are brought
into positions of leadership and influence; (iii) promote changes and
(iv) get decisions implemented.
 Illegitimate political behaviour - violates implied rules of the game
and poses a risk to the organisation (e.g. sabotaging and strikes).
:::: Minimising Illegitimate Politics
 Introduce clear rules for scarce
resources.
 Have effective organisational
change practices.
 Suppress norms that support or
tolerate self-serving behaviour.
 Leaders should role model
organisational citizenship.
 Give employees more control
over their work.
 Keep employees informed.
:::: Concept Diagram
• Exchange Influence
Sources of Techniques
Power • Pressuring
• Rational • Legitimating
• Legitimate Persuasion • Ingratiation
• Reward • Personal • Consultation
• Coercive Appeal
• Inspirational
• Expert • Coalition- Appeal
• Referent building

Contingencies of
Power
• Substitutability Power and
• Centrality Influence
• Discretion over
• Visibility others
:::: References
Textbooks:
 Greenberg, J. (2011). Behavior in organizations (10th ed.) New Jersey: Pearson.
 Kinicki, A. & Kreitner, R. (2009). Organizational behavior: Key concepts, skills and
best practices (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
 McShane, S. L. & Von Glinow, M. A. (2009). Organizational behavior: [essentials]
(2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
 Robbins S. P. & Judge T. A. (2011). Organiz.ational behaviour (14th ed.). Pearson
 After Class Activities
Daily Activity (by 2359 hrs today)
 Complete the quiz as well as peer and self-evaluations.
 Complete your Reflection Journal .

End-of-Week Activity
 Review the 6th Presentation slides.
 Read the materials given in the Resources.

Preparation for Next Week

 Do the pre-class work for Week 12 (compulsory): Presentation on
a great leader