Exam 13: Power and Politics

Which of the following power tactics involves increasing the target's support by involving him or her in decision making?

Joanna Mills has recently been promoted to the position of a project manager at Palmer Inc., a software development firm. As a project manager, she now has the authority to delegate work, provide supervision and feedback, and monitor employee performance. Ever since her promotion, she has been preparing herself to guide her subordinates in different project activities. However, she feels that the employees do not proactively approach her for help. Which of the following, if true, would best explain this situation?

As a regional sales officer, one of Brandon's job responsibilities is to process the yearly appraisal forms of his subordinates and provide them with increments, bonuses, or benefits based on their performance that year. This job responsibility directly reflects his ________.

Mike Ford is a senior accountant at Coleman and Co., which is a financial management company. Mike has wanted to be on the board of representatives of his company for a long time, but the company stipulates a minimum number of years an employee must work at the organization before he or she makes it to the board. Mike is unwilling to work two more years to reach that stipulated experience and so he found a way to transgress this rule. He met up with one of the existing board members who was having problems accounting for allocated funds that went missing and offered to settle that for him in his department provided he nominate Mike to the board. Which of the following power tactics is being used here?

You're less likely to be effective if you begin with "softer tactics" that reply on personal power such as personal and inspirational appeals, rational persuasion, and consultation.

Self-promotion works well as an impression management technique for interviews as well as performance evaluations.

If an individual ________, then he or she is less likely to engage in illegitimate political behavior.

If you want a college degree and have to pass a certain course to get it, and your current instructor is the only faculty member in the college who teaches the course, she has power over you.

Expert power is based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or personal traits.

Which of the following impression management techniques involves an individual admitting responsibility for an undesirable event and simultaneously seeking to get a pardon for the action?

Which of the following defensive behaviors involves developing explanations that lessen one's responsibility for a negative outcome and apologizing to demonstrate remorse?

The more effort applicants put into highlighting their skills, motivation, and admiration for the organization, the more likely they are to be hired.

Victor Ortiz was a successful and popular manager at the marketing division of a consumer goods company. Many attributed the company's immense success in the last two years to Victor's highly creative marketing plans, which cost the company very little but increased the visibility of its products. He also effectively tied up with new retail chains so the demand for their products grows as the new retail chains grow. Recently, a subordinate alleged that Victor had sexually harassed her, and stories of similar allegations made against him in the past resurfaced. The situation was laid to rest when Victor made an appearance with the victim by his side claiming that the allegations were baseless as he was romantically involved with her. Though this announcement did not convince people, the allegations against Victor were withdrawn. From the information provided in this scenario, this outcome can be explained by the fact that ________.

Define sexual harassment and identify ways managers can protect themselves and their employees from it.

Winston Mayer is a sales manager for a large company producing beverages and ready-to-eat meals. Winston is often seen working late and on weekends although the company stipulates a five-day workweek. Winston justifies his working extra by claiming that "in sales, one cannot afford to waste a minute" and he is often condescending when subordinates take their allotted time off. He frequently speaks to his manager about the deals he finalizes when he is working beyond the normal working hours to prove his point. From the information provided, we can say that Winston is using ________ as an impression management technique here.

List and discuss the bases of formal power.

Political behaviors usually ________.

For a power situation to exist, one person or group needs to have control over resources the other person or group values.

Which of the following factors can lead to greater probability of sexual harassment at the workplace?

Buck passing is seen when an employee ________.