Description
Book SynopsisIndividualism and collectivism, egoism and altruism, are interwoven threads that make up the social fabric of all organizations. In consequence, political behavior is an integral part of organizational life. These two interconnected characteristics of human behavior--conformism and opportunism--account for most of the actions and interactions that take place in organizations every day.
This volume examines all kinds of organizations from a political perspective, analyzing them in terms of social power and politics. It presents several theories of power and compares them as it scrutinizes the political layout of organizations. For ease of understanding, the book applies the language of political games to describe organizational politics in terms borrowed from the realm of sports, such as contesters, playgrounds, encounters, rules of the game, strategies and tactics, scores, and victories and defeats. It thoroughly analyzes the concepts of social power and social influence from
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments, Preface, Introduction, 1. The Essence of Power, 2 . The Theoretical Basis, 3. The Political Layout, 4. The Political Agenda, 5. Perceived Politics, 6 . Political Games, 7. Interpersonal Politics, 8. Intergroup Politics, 9. Interorganizational Politics, 10. Managerial Politics, Conclusion, References, Index
