Question 1

Co-optation is a way to ________.

Accepted Answer

Co-optation is a strategy in which an organization or individual brings potential opponents into a decision-making process to prevent them from opposing or resisting the decision. Therefore, it is a way to manage coalitions, rather than empower employees, decrease nonsubstitutability, or decentralize authority.

Question 2

A manager obtains an assignment that brings him into contact with many managers and many functions so that he can obtain information that can be used to make him and his function nonsubstitutable. Which of the following political tactics is being used by this manager?

Accepted Answer

By obtaining an assignment that brings him into contact with many managers and many functions, the manager is increasing his centrality. This means he is positioning himself as an important node in the organizational network, which can make him more valuable and nonsubstitutable.

Question 3

Manager A supports Manager B on an issue of interest to B in return for B supporting A an issue of interest to A. These managers are ________.

Accepted Answer

The managers are creating a coalition, which is a formal or informal group of individuals who come together to achieve a common goal. By supporting each other on issues of interest, they are working together towards a mutual benefit. This can be a powerful way to achieve change or influence within an organization. However, it can also be a potential source of conflict if there are disagreements or if the coalition becomes too powerful and threatens the interests of others within the organization.

Question 4

A coalition is ________.

Accepted Answer

A coalition is a group of individuals or organizations that come together to achieve a common goal. Often, each member of the coalition may have different priorities or interests, and trade-offs must be made in order to work towards a shared objective. Therefore, option A is the best answer. Options B, C, and D do not accurately describe the nature or purpose of a coalition.

Question 5

Which of the following is most likely to occur in an organization with centralized authority?

Accepted Answer

In an organization with centralized authority, decision-making power is concentrated at the top level, leading subordinates to compete for favor from top managers to advance their careers or gain influence in the organization. This often results in a culture of pleasing authority figures rather than taking up more responsibilities or forming coalitions. Empowering employees to make decisions is more likely to occur in a decentralized organization.

Question 6

Organizational politics consists of activities taken within organizations to ________.

Accepted Answer

Organizational politics involves individuals and groups within an organization acquiring, developing, and using power to influence decision-making processes and outcomes. It can involve activities such as forming alliances, engaging in coalition-building, and engaging in lobbying or negotiation to advance individual or group interests within the organization. It is not necessarily aimed at improving innovation or implementing specific management systems.

Question 7

To manage organizational politics and gain its benefits, an organization must ________.

Accepted Answer

To manage organizational politics and gain its benefits, an organization must establish a balance of power in which alternative views and solutions can be offered. This means that decision-making authority should not be centralized at the top-management level, and a tall hierarchy of authority may actually hinder communication and collaboration. Additionally, the 360 degrees appraisal system is a tool for performance evaluation and is not directly related to managing organizational politics. Allowing for multiple perspectives and considering alternative solutions ensures that power is not centralized in a small group and encourages open communication and collaboration.

Question 8

The power possessed by a set of managers who form a "partnership" and use their combined power secretively to influence the decision-making process in ways that favor their interests is called ________ power.

Accepted Answer

The described power is characteristic of an unobtrusive power structure, where a group of individuals use their collective power clandestinely to exert influence on decision-making processes that benefit themselves. Referent power is based on personal charisma and charm, expert power is based on specific knowledge or skills, and nonsubstitutable power comes from being irreplaceable in a particular role or position. None of these fully capture the described scenario.

Question 9

Which of the following statements about authority is true?

Accepted Answer

Decentralizing authority to a subordinate does not necessarily reduce a manager's authority. While the subordinate may have some decision-making power, the ultimate authority and responsibility still rest with the manager.

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of unobtrusive power?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is an example...

Question 11

Controlling the agenda is way of ________.

Accepted Answer

Controlling the agenda allows one party to influence the decision-making process by setting the topics to be discussed and the order in which they will be addressed. This can help them steer the conversation in a direction that benefits their interests.

Question 12

Which of the following terms refers to the power possessed by the people and subunits that control the flow of resources through an organization's production system?

Accepted Answer

Centrality refers to the power possessed by the people and subunits that control the flow of resources through an organization's production system. It is the degree to which a particular individual or subunit is positioned in the flow of information and resources within the organization.

Question 13

Rick is the only person in the finance department who knows how to fix the computer when it breaks down. The source of Rick's power is ________.

Accepted Answer

Rick's power comes from the fact that he possesses knowledge and skills that are unique and irreplaceable within the context of the finance department. This is known as nonsubstitutability.

Question 14

Which of the following terms refers to the deliberate decentralization of authority to encourage subordinates to assume responsibility for organizational activities?

Accepted Answer

Empowerment refers to the deliberate decentralization of authority to encourage subordinates to assume responsibility for organizational activities. Social loafing refers to the tendency of some individuals to put forth less effort when working in a group. Co-optation refers to the process by which organizations absorb new and potentially disruptive elements into their structures in order to minimize challenges to established power. Attitudinal structuring refers to the process of shaping and managing the attitudes and beliefs of individuals within an organization.

Question 15

A subunit within an organization can increase its power by ________.

Accepted Answer

Building and managing coalitions can increase the subunit's power as it allows it to gather support from other units or external stakeholders. This increases its influence within the organization.

Question 16

Jane works for a manufacturing plant that has been under pressure to reduce pollution. Jane increased her knowledge of environmental laws in order to help the company follow waste disposal laws. Which of the following political tactics is being used by Jane?

Accepted Answer

Jane is increasing her nonsubstitutability by enhancing her knowledge of environmental laws, making her more valuable and less replaceable in helping the company comply with waste disposal regulations.

Question 17

"Gatekeepers" have power stemming from ________.

Accepted Answer

Gatekeepers have power because they control the flow of information, deciding what information is shared and with whom.

Question 18

Which of the following types of power is most likely to be possessed by a CEO of an organization?

Accepted Answer

The CEO of an organization is at the top of the hierarchical structure and has the legitimate right to make decisions, give orders, and enforce them. This type of power is called authority power. Nonsubstitutability refers to a situation where a person has a unique skill or resource that cannot be replaced easily, referent power is based on admiration and respect from others, and expert power is based on knowledge and expertise in a particular field. While a CEO can possess some degree of referent and expert power, authority power is the most likely type of power that they possess.

Question 19

The use of power to influence decision-making is most effective when power is ________.

Accepted Answer

Unobtrusive power is most effective because it influences decision-making without being overt or obvious, allowing for smoother and less resisted implementation of decisions.

Question 20

An organization's ability to obtain the benefits of politics depends on the assumption that ________.

Accepted Answer

The benefits of politics come from power, and power flows to those who can be of most help to the organization. Therefore, an organization's ability to obtain the benefits of politics depends on this assumption. Option A is not directly related to politics or power, and option B is about property rights, which are not directly related to obtaining the benefits of politics. Option D is not necessarily related to politics and power either.

Quiz 14: Managing Conflict, Power, and Politics