Organizations as Politics

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Organizations as Politics
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Two Definitions of Politics

• 1) Organizations as Government
• 2) Organizations as Political Activity

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Organizations as Govt.

• 1) Politics as Government
• Autocracy
• Bureaucracy
• Technocracy
• Codetermination
• Representative Democracy
• Direct Democracy

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Politics as Government

• 1) Historically, what has led to the belief that
  U.S. organizations should not be ruled by direct
  democacy or represent. Democracy or
  co-determination.

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Organizations as Political Activity

• 1) Interests
• 2) Conflict
• 3) Power

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Interest

• Task
• Career
• Extra-mural

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Conflict

• Conflict will ALWAYS exist.
• Conflict can be personal, organizational,
  status-related.
• Conflict is interpreted by the status of the
  observer
• Types of conflict will correspond to a societys
  values, goals and norms.

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Power

• Power is used to resolve conflict.
• Types of Power ---

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Types of Power

• Formal authority
• Control of Scarce resources
• Use of Org. Rules, structure and reg.
• Control of Decision processes
• Control of knowledge and information
• Control of Boundaries
• Ability to cope with uncertainty

• Control of Technology
• Interpersonal alliances and networks
• Control of Counter-orgs.
• Symbolism and management of meaning
• Gender/Race/Sexuality/ Ability/Age
• Structural factors
• Power one already has.

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Strengths and Weaknesses

• Recognizes that conflict exists.
• Perhaps makes us see conflict in places it does
  not truly exist.

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What Concepts Should be Used When Applying This
Metaphor?