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Describe the sources of power in organizations
Relate central concepts of power and influence
Apply tools and tactics for effectively and ethically attaining and using power
Evaluate tools and techniques for using power
Evaluate political behaviors on pragmatic and ethical grounds.
Apply and reflect on network concepts to analyze power and influence in organizations
Reflect on how power is lost
Reflect on the role of power and influence in organizational change
Power and politics are ever-present and necessary features of organizational life. Without them, much of what gets done in organizations could never be accomplished. However, power can be abused, and personal or political goals can overshadow organizational ones. Therefore, it is important for people working in or together with organizations (for instance as consultants) to understand this important aspect of organizational life. This course provides a framework for intelligently analyzing the sources of power in organizations, and the circumstances that lead to its attainment as well as effective and ethical use. After the course students will understand more about the nature and sources of power in organizations. They will also learn to diagnose power situations, and "the rules of the game" in organizations.
The course is theoretical and practical. Students will learn theories about power and influence but they will also acquire and discuss tools and techniques for acquiring and using power based on cases, real life simulation games, and examples. Special attention will be provided the relational aspects of power and influence, i.e. the power residing in network positions. Students will learn to analyze networks as a source of power and influence in organizations. As part of this, they will identify and analyze their own network in respect to advancing their future career.
Course subject areas
1. Power and dependence
2. Sources of power
3. Network as power: Building and diagnosing networks
4. Analyzing the rules: Meaning, symbols, and culture
5. Strategies and tactics for employing power and influence
6. The role of power in organizational change
7. Dynamics:
Organization Design
Organizational Behavior
+ one of the following courses: Organizational Change and Development; Human Resource Management; Theories of the Firm; Organizational Economics
Anders Ryom Villadsen
Lectures, student presentations, and case discussions. This is an advanced class and active participation is expected and required (see exam). Cases and video will be used as illustrations and starting points for discussion.
English
Book:
Pfeffer, Jeffrey (2010). Power. Why Some People Have It-and Others Don't. Harper Business. 288 pages
Articles (some will be made optional) NB. A few articles will be added to the list:
Ferris, G. R., Treadway, D. C., Perrewé, P. L., Brouer, R. L., Douglas, C. & Lux, S. (2007) Political skill in Organizations. Journal of Management, 33: 290-320.
Brass, Daniel J. and Marlene E. Burkhardt (1993). Potential power and power use: An investigation of structure and behavior. The Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 441-470
Burkhardt, Marlene E. and Daniel J. Brass (1990). Changing Patterns or Patterns of Change: The Effects of a Change in Technology on Social Network Structure and Power. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 35, No. 1, Special Issue: Technology, Organizations, and Innovation, pp. 104-127
Cialdini, Robert B. (2001). Harnessing the Science of Persuasion. Harvard Business Review, Oct., Vol. 79 Issue 9, p72-79.,
French, John R. P. & Bertram Raven (1959). The Bases of social power. In Studies in Social Power. Dorwin Cartwright (ed.). Ann Arbor, MI, University of Michigan. pp 150-167.
Goffee, Rob; Jones, Gareth (1996). What Holds the Modern Company Together? Harvard Business Review, Nov/Dec, Vol. 74 Issue 6, p133-148
Granovetter, Mark (1985). Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness
The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 91, No. 3, pp. 481-510
House, Robert J., William D. Spangler and James Woyck (1991). Personality and Charisma in the U.S. Presidency: A Psychological Theory of Leader Effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 364-396
Kilduff, Martin and David Krackhardt (1994). Bringing the Individual Back in: A Structural Analysis of the Internal Market for Reputation in Organizations. The Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 37, No. 1, pp. 87-108
Kilduff, Martin and Wenpin Tsai (2003). Social Networks and Organizations. Sage. Chapter 2: pp. 13 - 34.
Kipnis, David and Stuart M. Schmidt (1988). Upward-Influence Styles: Relationship with Performance Evaluations, Salary, and Stress. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 528-542
Kotter JP, Schlesinger LA. (1979). Choosing strategies for change. Harvard Business Review. Mar-Apr
;57(2):106-14.
Krackhardt, David; Hanson, Jeffrey R. (1993). Informal networks: The company behind the charts.
Harvard Business Review, Jul/Aug, Vol. 71 Issue 4, p104-111
Levina, Natalia & Wanda j. Orlikowski (2009). Understanding Power relations within and across organizations: A critical genre analysis. Academy of Management Journal Vol 52, no. 4, pp 672-703.
March, James G. (1966). The power of power. In Varieties of political theory. David Easton (ed). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Pp. 39-70.
Mintzberg, Henry (1983). The power game and the players. In Power in and around organizations. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Pp. 22-30.
Pascale, Richard; Millemann, Mark; Gioja, Linda (1997). Changing the way we change.. Harvard Business Review, Nov/Dec, Vol. 75 Issue 6, pp. 126-139.
Pfeffer, Jeffrey (1981). Understanding the role of power in decision making. Chapter 1 in Jeffrey Pfeffer: Power in Organizations, Marchfield, MA: Pitman, pp 1-32.
Podolny, Joel M. and James N. Baron (1997). Resources and Relationships: Social Networks and Mobility in the Workplace. American Sociological Review, Vol. 62, No. 5, pp. 673-693
Salancik, Gerald R. and Jeffrey Pfeffer (1974). The Bases and Use of Power in Organizational Decision Making: The Case of a University. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 453-473
Tannen, Deborah (1995). The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why. Harvard Business Review, Sep/Oct, Vol. 73 Issue 5, p138-148.
Uzzi, Brian (1997). Social Structure and Competition in Interfirm Networks: The Paradox of Embeddedness. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 35-67
Uzzi, Brian & Shannon Dunlap (2005). How to Build Your Network. Harvard Business Review, Dec., Vol. 83 Issue 12, p53-60,
Cases (all or most of):
When consultants and clients clash (6 pp.)
Lisa Benton (14 pp.)
Orit Gadish (15 pp.)
Tim Keller (16 pp.)
Erik Peterson (A) (18 pp.)
Jerry Sanders (18 pp.)
Kevin Simpson (13 pp.)
Peter Browning and White Cap (8 pp.)
Instructions on how to acquire the cases will be provided.
This is an advanced and case based class. Active participation is required. To register for exam three compulsory assignments must be passed.
1) Participate in group presentation and discussion of case or reading.
2) Hand in network assignment (3-5 pp., font 12, double spacing + max. 2 tables/graphs). Evaluated pass/fail. Lectures will be suspended two weeks (tba) for working on the assignment which is due the following Monday.
3) Participate in online learning environment, eg. by completing small "e-tivities" before class.
Exam: Oral, 20 minutes based on case used in class. Preparation 30 minutes.
Examination aids allowed: None
