Deck 8: Understand and Manage Power and Politics

Question 1

Identification occurs when individuals accept another's influence because of the positive or negative outcomes tied to it.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Information power is based on the ability to administer outcomes that have positive valence and remove or decrease outcomes that have negative valence.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Association power refers to a form of power that arises from alliances with others developed through reciprocity.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Referent power is the ability to alter another's behavior because of the individual's desire to identify with the power source.

Question 5

Power and force are interchangeable terms.

Question 6

Reciprocity and reciprocal alliances are a powerful way to form strong networks in organizations.

Question 7

Legitimate power is the formal authority that stems from the extent to which a manager can control subordinates' behavior because they believe the boss has the right to do so.

Question 8

The problem of deferring responsibility and accountability upward in organizations is known as dysfunctional resistance.

Question 9

A dependency occurs when one person or group relies on another person or group to get what it wants or needs.

Question 10

The Iron Law of Responsibility describes a situation in which one person's gain is equal to another person's loss.

Question 11

Expert power comes from the possession of knowledge, experience, or judgment that others need but do not possess.

Question 12

Zero sum refers to the idea that when power imbalances get bad enough, forces are triggered that will rise up to restore balance.

Question 13

Personal power resides in the individual and is independent of that individual's position within an organization.

Question 14

A zone of indifference represents the range of directives to which a subordinate is willing to respond without subjecting them to critical evaluations or judgment.

Question 15

We can increase our power by expanding the power of those around us.

Question 16

Directives falling within the zone of indifference are automatically obeyed, whereas those falling outside of it are questioned.

Question 17

Empowerment involves sharing power, information, decision-making authority, and rewards with others.

Question 18

Coercive power is the extent to which a manager can use extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other people.

Question 19

Two sources of personal power are reward power and coercive power.

Question 20

Fortunately, expert power is absolute, not relative.

Question 21

Conscientious employees are more likely to use constructive resistance, whereas less conscientious employees are more likely to use dysfunctional resistance.

Question 22

Self-interested politics occur when individuals or groups work to shift outcomes to their personal advantage.

Question 23

Compliance occurs when individuals accept an influence attempt out of duty or obligation.

Question 24

The lesson from the Bathsheba syndrome is that power can have potentially intoxicating and corruptive effects that, if not prepared for, may lead to devastating outcomes.

Question 25

Research finds that employees who use constructive resistance are more likely to receive negative performance ratings from managers, while employees who use dysfunctional resistance are more likely to receive positive ratings from managers.

Question 26

Mary is able to call on her networks both inside and outside the organization for support in getting things done and in meeting her goals. Which of the following powers is exemplified in the given scenario?

A) Association power
B) Connection power
C) Referent power
D) Information power
E) Coercive power

Question 27

The Iron Law of Responsibility states that men and women of otherwise strong personal integrity and intelligence engage in unethical and selfish behavior in the pinnacle of power because they mistakenly believe they are above the law.

Question 28

Another term for political savvy is political power, which is the ability to effectively understand others at work and to use such knowledge to influence others to act in ways that enhance one's personal or organizational objectives.

Question 29

Identification occurs when individuals accept an influence attempt because they want to maintain a positive relationship with the person or group making the influence request.

Question 30

Which of the following occurs when an individual accepts another's influence because of the positive or negative outcomes tied to it?

A) Internalization
B) Compliance
C) Empowerment
D) Reciprocity
E) Identification

Question 31

__________ occurs when an individual accepts influence because the induced behavior is congruent with their value system.

A) Reciprocity
B) Identification
C) Internalization
D) Commitment
E) Compliance

Question 32

Herbert Kelman identified two forms of commitment. They are __________ and __________.

A) compliance; influence
B) influence; motivation
C) control; dependence
D) identification; internalization
E) internalization; influence

Question 33

Responses to power include conformity and resistance.

Question 34

__________ occurs when individuals accept an influence attempt because they want to maintain a positive relationship with the person or group making the influence request.

A) Compliance
B) Reciprocity
C) Internalization
D) Commitment
E) Identification

Question 35

The extent to which one accepts that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally is known as:

A) powerlessness.
B) the zone of acceptance.
C) power distance.
D) the zone of indifference.
E) internalization.

Question 36

Which of the following powers is derived from relations with powerful others?

A) Expert power
B) Referent power
C) Association power
D) Legitimate power
E) Expert power

Question 37

Informal systems dictate what is to be done in organizations and how work processes are to be coordinated and structured.

Question 38

Because compliance is an extrinsic form of motivation, it generates the maximum effort, proportional to the reward or punishment.

Question 39

Which of the following forms of power arises from alliances that are formed when someone does a favor for someone else, creating an obligation to return the favor?

A) Reciprocal power
B) Association power
C) Internalization
D) Constructive resistance
E) Social capita

Question 40

Which of the following occurs when individuals accept an influence attempt out of duty or obligation?

A) Nonsubstitutability
B) Compliance
C) Reciprocity
D) Commitment
E) Coercion

Question 41

__________ involves individuals saying no, making excuses, stalling or even arguing against an initiative.

A) Compliance
B) Conformity
C) Resistance
D) Force
E) Coercion

Question 42

__________ refers to going around rules to accomplish a task or goal when the normal process or method is not producing the desired result.

A) A workaround
B) Self-interested politics
C) Organizational politics
D) Political savvy
E) Constructive resistance

Question 43

Which of the following terms refers to the efforts by organizational members to seek resources and achieve desired goals through informal systems and structures?

A) Formal systems
B) Informal systems
C) Legitimate powers
D) Self-interested politics
E) Organizational politics

Question 44

In a department meeting, Jamira engages in thoughtful dissent aimed at constructively challenging her manager, Shivana, to rethink the decision to close two major client accounts. In the given scenario, Jamira is engaging in __________.

A) forceful resistance
B) constructive resistance
C) control
D) dysfunctional resistance
E) conformity

Question 45

Which of the following means that an individual or the work performed by a subunit cannot be easily replaced?

A) Workarounds
B) Nonsubstitutability
C) Powerlessness
D) Structural holes
E) Legitimate power

Question 46

Which of the following dictate how work processes are coordinated and structured?

A) Formal systems
B) Informal systems
C) Connection powers
D) Self-interested politics
E) Organizational politics

Question 47

__________ means that one person or group relies on another person or group to get what they want or need.

A) Nonsubstitutability
B) Dependency
C) Independence
D) Compliance
E) Commitment

Question 48

Which of the following involves a more passive form of noncompliance in which individuals ignore or dismiss the request of the influencing agent?

A) Internalization
B) Constructive resistance
C) Control
D) Dysfunctional resistance
E) Conformity

Question 49

Which of the following terms refer to the extent to which people in organizations work within or around formal policies and procedures to get things done?

A) A workaround
B) Self-interested politics
C) Internalization
D) The political climate
E) Political savvy

Question 50

Developing political savvy involves a combination of skills, including all of the following EXCEPT:

A) learning to read political situations.
B) developing social astuteness.
C) building relationships.
D) focusing on people's behaviors rather than motives.
E) framing messages appropriately so that others will listen.

Question 51

__________ is defined as the potential to influence others or the capacity to change the behavior or attitude of another in a desired fashion.

A) Control
B) Force
C) Power
D) Commitment
E) Skill

Question 52

__________ is action that occurs against another's will.

A) Power
B) Control
C) Force
D) Empowerment
E) Constructive resistance

Question 53

Which type of power comes from formal and informal interactions with others that form relationships and networks?

A) Information
B) Social
C) Coercive
D) Legitimate
E) Connection

Question 54

Which of the following is true of interpersonal influence?

A) It requires one to develop reciprocal alliances with one's adversaries.
B) It can be generated regardless of whether a person is sincere or not.
C) It is ineffective if it is subtle.
D) It comes from adapting and calibrating one's behavior to situations.
E) It exerts a mild influence at best.

Question 55

__________ is defined as the ability to accurately understand social interactions and interpret one's behavior and that of others, as well as be keenly attuned to diverse social situations.

A) Political skill
B) Political savvy
C) Social astuteness
D) Social power
E) Organizational politics

Question 56

The ability to understand and influence others to act in ways that enhance personal or organizational objectives is known as:

A) political power.
B) control.
C) information power.
D) political skill.
E) social capita.

Question 57

Patterns of activity and relationships that arise in everyday activities as individuals and groups engage together in work environments are known as:

A) formal systems.
B) informal systems.
C) legitimate powers.
D) self-interested politics.
E) organizational politics.

Question 58

Forms of self-interested politics include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) illegitimate political activities such as coalition building.
B) favoritism-based pay and promotions.
C) scapegoating.
D) building reciprocal alliances with others.
E) using information as a political tool.

Question 59

__________ refers to a situation in which men and women of otherwise strong personal integrity and intelligence engage in unethical and selfish behavior because they believe they are above the law.

A) The Iron Law of Responsibility
B) The Bathsheba syndrome
C) Hierarchical thinking
D) The zone of indifference
E) A structural hole

Question 60

Which of the following is a way to avoid the corruptive effects of power?

A) Engaging in workarounds
B) Exerting primarily legitimate power and connection power
C) Discouraging constructive resistance
D) Surrounding oneself with others who can keep one grounded Increasing power distancee)

Question 61

Which of the following describes a situation in which one person's gain is equal to another person's loss?

A) The Iron Law of Responsibility
B) Zero sum
C) Legitimate power
D) The zone of indifference
E) Connection power

Question 62

Which of the following powers does a manager exert by withholding positive outcomes, such as special assignments or bonuses, to control the behavior of employees?

A) Legitimate power
B) Expert power
C) Coercive power
D) Process power
E) Reward power

Question 63

The power that comes from the ability to influence another in a social relation is known as __________.

Question 64

The lack of autonomy and participation is known as:

A) dysfunctional resistance.
B) internalization.
C) powerlessness.
D) dependence.
E) compliance.

Question 65

__________ is the extent to which one accepts that power in institutions and organizations is distributed unequally.

Question 66

Stella's manager Roman is very demanding. He dominates his team members in meetings, wants everything done a certain way, and micromanages everyone. Roman's behavior annoys Stella, and she responds by openly challenging all of his directives. She also delays work, citing a lack of appropriate resources as the reason. Stella's behavior in the given scenario can be explained by __________.

A) actor-network theory
B) Herzberg's two-factor theory
C) psychological reactance theory
D) equity theory
E) the frustration-regression dynamic

Question 67

Managers derive power from both organizational and individual sources, which are called __________.

A) bureaucratic power and individual power
B) authority power and indigenous power
C) position power and personal power
D) statutory power and individual power
E) expert power and personal power

Question 68

Which of the following states that when power imbalances get bad enough, forces are triggered that will rise up to restore balance?

A) The Iron Law of Responsibility
B) Zero-sum game
C) Legitimate power
D) The zone of indifference
E) Connection power

Question 69

When Kenyatta, a manager in a department store, tells her staff to do something and states that she is the boss and therefore everyone must do as asked, she is trying to use __________ to influence the staff's behavior.

A) personal power
B) reward power
C) legitimate power
D) coercive power
E) process power

Question 70

Directives falling within the zone of indifference are __________.

A) subjected to slight scrutiny
B) ignored
C) rejected
D) obeyed
E) subjected to severe scrutiny

Question 71

Personal power is primarily based in __________ and __________ power.

A) expert; information
B) coercive; expert
C) reward; process
D) legitimate; expert
E) expert; referent

Question 72

Which of the following involves sharing power, information, decision-making authority, and rewards with others?

A) Empowerment
B) Zero-sum game
C) Power
D) Control
E) Constructive resistance

Question 73

Which of the following is most likely to be true in an organization with asymmetrical influence relations?

A) Senior managers get accurate and complete information.
B) Employees at all levels are empowered to make decisions.
C) The power distance is low or nonexistent.
D) People tend to defer responsibility to those with more power.
E) Senior managers are likely to make high-quality decisions.

Question 74

The ability of a person or group to influence others or the capacity to change the behavior or attitude of another in a desired fashion is known as __________.

Question 75

Abbey offers pay raises, bonuses, special assignments, and compliments as incentives to her subordinates. Which power does she exert in the given situation?

A) Legitimate power
B) Expert power
C) Coercive power
D) Referent power
E) Reward power

Question 76

Which type of power stems from the formal hierarchy or authority vested in a particular role or position?

A) Personal power
B) Position power
C) Referent power
D) Information power
E) Association power

Question 77

Action that occurs against another's will is known as __________.

Question 78

The __________ is the range of authoritative requests to which a subordinate is willing to respond without subjecting them to critical evaluation or judgment.

A) territory of unconcern
B) region of inattention
C) region of insensibility
D) section of apathy
E) zone of acceptance

Question 79

Ralph makes it a point to always offer help to his team members in technical areas in which he is skilled and knowledgeable. His team trusts his judgment and forms one of the most productive units in the company. What type of power does Ralph exert?

A) Legitimate power
B) Coercive power
C) Referent power
D) Reward power
E) Expert power

Question 80

When one person or group relies on another person or group to get what they want or need, it is known as __________.