Exam 5: Gaining Power and Influence

If your manager encourages and supports you to accomplish organizational goals,he/she is more likely to hold an institutional view of power.

What does relevance as a power base refer to?

The task force has been meeting for several weeks on distributing bonuses for employees but has become hopelessly stalemated.You were added to the committee to influence the group's decision.What will this do to your influence?

Interpersonal attraction,as a source of personal power,involves charisma,agreeable behaviors,and physical characteristics.

As a staff person in the organization,you determine you have very little power.However,you could compensate for weak position power by developing knowledge about a particular aspect of the organization.

American business relationships are characterized by the norms of the marketplace (must be profitable)whereas German relationships are characterized by a legal-bureaucratic orientation (play by the rules).

River Woods Plant Manager Heritage Appliance Company recently announced plans to construct the River Woods manufacturing plant,replacing the company's original,flagship facility adjacent to the company headquarters in Edgemont.In announcing the new plant,the company stated that to the extent possible it would be staffed by Edgemont plant personnel and that the excess personnel would be transferred to other Heritage plants in neighboring states.Heritage management views the River Woods facility as the plant of the future,featuring new methods of production and lower processing costs and manpower requirements. In a recent press release,the Heritage CEO noted that they were replacing one of the least automated plants in the industry with a plant using new forms of production not previously seen in appliance manufacturing.Heritage Appliance is also using the River Woods plant to pilot a new decentralized management structure.In the past,the firm's marketing activities were directed from the home office by a vice president.Manufacturing operations and certain other departments were under the control of the company's senior vice president.In this centralized,functional arrangement,none of the company's four plants had a general manager.Instead,each department in a plant reported on a line basis to its functional counterpart at the home office (e.g. ,director of production,director of engineering).In contrast,the new River Woods plant manager will be responsible for the management of all functions and personnel except marketing and sales. There is general consensus among the top management team that the long-term viability of the firm depends on the success of this initiative.However,some have expressed concerns about the difficulty of the task facing the River Woods general manager.They point to the shift from functional lines of communication and accountability to a plant-level focus,as well as the challenges of upgrading the skills of the Edgemont plant personnel,working out the bugs in new applications of advanced manufacturing processes to appliance design and production,and dealing with the inevitable complaints from employees in a small company town who are not satisfied with their new assignments and who might serve as the catalyst for unionizing the only nonunion U.S.appliance manufacturing firm. -If you were offered the new River Woods plant manager position,based on what you've learned about the sources of position power,what actions would you take to insure that as the company's first general manager you had the necessary clout to accomplish your assigned duties?

Mini-Case:Channel Surfing.You know you should be studying for that management test tomorrow,but you have decided to take a break.With the remote control firmly in your hand,you hit the TV waves.On channel 53 some sports athletes are discussing the importance of being a team player.Striving for individual honors will hurt the team and eventually you,they say.On channel 13 beautiful people are at the beach playing volleyball,water skiing,and dancing.They are also drinking beer (well,there is beer in their hands even if you didn't see anyone take a drink).You wonder why your friends don't look like that ...maybe it's the beer you drink,you think.On channel 44 an entrepreneur is discussing how she took this idea of hers to a multimillion dollar company in less than two years.She says the key is to be diligent and know your product.You wonder if she is hiring.On channel 23 some ex-PGA golf pro is explaining the usefulness of a golf club that falls apart in your back swing if you swing the club incorrectly.He says it did wonders for his game.You wonder,if it did wonders for his game why isn't he back on the tour? Finally,you decide you have had enough and go to bed wishing now that you had studied.Well ...you think ...if I get up at 5:00 a.m. ,I can ... -Explain the three influence strategies and provide an example of each strategy.Identify how one might neutralize each influence strategy.

A co-worker tells you that an effective strategy for capturing managers' attention is to make it clear the issue can be resolved.Is this good advice?

Which of the following is not a determinant associated with position power?

Recently your boss remarked to you,"I don't know where you are coming from." Other people have expressed frustration with you over your lack of team play.You should conclude that you may be losing your expert power.

What is included in strategies that neutralize retribution?

If you are trying to influence the agenda of your boss,which influence strategy is most appropriate?

What should you do to increase your influence within the organization?

You are buying a house.The seller recently lowered the asking price,but the price is still higher than your initial offer.The broker states,"The seller lowered his price,and I think you should raise your offer." What type of influence strategy is being utilized?

You just convinced your boss that you need to increase cooperation across departments for the Web project that you were assigned to lead to be successful.How have you increased your power?

River Woods Plant Manager Heritage Appliance Company recently announced plans to construct the River Woods manufacturing plant,replacing the company's original,flagship facility adjacent to the company headquarters in Edgemont.In announcing the new plant,the company stated that to the extent possible it would be staffed by Edgemont plant personnel and that the excess personnel would be transferred to other Heritage plants in neighboring states.Heritage management views the River Woods facility as the plant of the future,featuring new methods of production and lower processing costs and manpower requirements. In a recent press release,the Heritage CEO noted that they were replacing one of the least automated plants in the industry with a plant using new forms of production not previously seen in appliance manufacturing.Heritage Appliance is also using the River Woods plant to pilot a new decentralized management structure.In the past,the firm's marketing activities were directed from the home office by a vice president.Manufacturing operations and certain other departments were under the control of the company's senior vice president.In this centralized,functional arrangement,none of the company's four plants had a general manager.Instead,each department in a plant reported on a line basis to its functional counterpart at the home office (e.g. ,director of production,director of engineering).In contrast,the new River Woods plant manager will be responsible for the management of all functions and personnel except marketing and sales. There is general consensus among the top management team that the long-term viability of the firm depends on the success of this initiative.However,some have expressed concerns about the difficulty of the task facing the River Woods general manager.They point to the shift from functional lines of communication and accountability to a plant-level focus,as well as the challenges of upgrading the skills of the Edgemont plant personnel,working out the bugs in new applications of advanced manufacturing processes to appliance design and production,and dealing with the inevitable complaints from employees in a small company town who are not satisfied with their new assignments and who might serve as the catalyst for unionizing the only nonunion U.S.appliance manufacturing firm. -What could you do to maintain position power if you were the plant manager?

Mini-Case:Channel Surfing.You know you should be studying for that management test tomorrow,but you have decided to take a break.With the remote control firmly in your hand,you hit the TV waves.On channel 53 some sports athletes are discussing the importance of being a team player.Striving for individual honors will hurt the team and eventually you,they say.On channel 13 beautiful people are at the beach playing volleyball,water skiing,and dancing.They are also drinking beer (well,there is beer in their hands even if you didn't see anyone take a drink).You wonder why your friends don't look like that ...maybe it's the beer you drink,you think.On channel 44 an entrepreneur is discussing how she took this idea of hers to a multimillion dollar company in less than two years.She says the key is to be diligent and know your product.You wonder if she is hiring.On channel 23 some ex-PGA golf pro is explaining the usefulness of a golf club that falls apart in your back swing if you swing the club incorrectly.He says it did wonders for his game.You wonder,if it did wonders for his game why isn't he back on the tour? Finally,you decide you have had enough and go to bed wishing now that you had studied.Well ...you think ...if I get up at 5:00 a.m. ,I can ... -Several determinants of personal power are illustrated in the story of channel surfing.For each of the following situations,indicate the type of personal power that was illustrated.Provide support for your answer. Situation #1: On channel 53 which source of power was being utilized? Situation #2: Which type of power is being utilized on channel 13? Situation #3: Which type of power is being utilized on channel 44? Situation #4: Which type of power is being utilized on channel 23?

Strategy(ies)that neutralize reciprocity strategies include (1)confront the exploiting individual directly, (2)examine the intent of any favor-giving activity,and (3)confront the individual who is using manipulative bargaining tactics.Which statements are correct?

Management is looking for someone to work the holidays.You believe that management would think better of you if you worked the holidays.If you work the holidays,which influence strategy was utilized?