Deck 7: Power and Politics

Question 1

SCENARIO 7-1
Your colleagues at work often talk about the vice-president in your are .She has a reputation for being intimidating,abrasive,ruthless,and antagonistic.You have been appointed to discuss the latest report from your department with her.You are very nervous about your meeting with her and wonder how it will all turn out.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-1,the vice-president's major base of power seems to be

A)reward.
B)coercive.
C)referent.
D)expert.
E)information.

Answer 1

coercive.

Question 2

Rein is in the position to help you get the information you need to do your job better.You have the resources to compensate Rein for his efforts,and you mention this to him in the hope that he will share the information you need.Which power base are you relying upon to influence Rein's decision?

A)reward
B)coercive
C)legitimate
D)referent
E)expert

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Dianne is very good at influencing the behaviour of others so that they act in accordance with her wishes.Therefore,Dianne has

A)power.
B)influence.
C)expertise.
D)empowerment.
E)charisma.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Aisha is the manager of her department and she expects Tia to comply with her requests regarding workplace policies and directives.Aisha is using the ________ power base to influence Tia.

A)reward
B)coercive
C)legitimate
D)referent
E)expert

Question 5

A review of the research on the effectiveness of the various forms of power found that using coercive power tends to

A)have zero impact on performance.
B)decrease trust.
C)have a positive impact on individuals who are unmotivated.
D)stimulate innovation,after no impact on productivity initially.
E)reduce costs.

Question 6

Madeleine is the manager of her department.Les works in her department.Over the years,Madeleine has learned to be very dependent on Les's judgment because of his vast experience and knowledge.Les has ________ power over Madeleine.

A)reward
B)coercive
C)legitimate
D)referent
E)expert

Question 7

Power is defined as

A)the capacity to persuade others.
B)dependency upon others.
C)the right to make rules.
D)being rewarded by others.
E)independence.

Question 8

Zhubin is a manager at EXX Co.He believes that part of his job is to make things happen quickly.Consequently,he uses ________ power where he makes things difficult for his employees,who in turn want to avoid confrontations and heated exchanges with him.

A)coercive
B)legitimate
C)referent
D)political
E)harassment

Question 9

Chanel used ________ power in its television commercials starring Brad Pitt,which urged viewers to buy Chanel N^o 5 perfume so that they could "attract someone like Brad."

A)expert
B)referent
C)information
D)legitimate
E)reward

Question 10

Ted is very good about being friendly at all times with his employees,and he always makes a point of praising them when they do good work.What type of power is Ted using?

A)legitimate
B)information
C)legitimate
D)reward
E)expert

Question 11

The most important aspect of power is that it

A)is needed to get things done in an organization.
B)is a function of dependency.
C)tends to corrupt people.
D)is counterproductive.
E)is the major focus of leadership.

Question 12

SCENARIO 7-1
Your colleagues at work often talk about the vice-president in your are .She has a reputation for being intimidating,abrasive,ruthless,and antagonistic.You have been appointed to discuss the latest report from your department with her.You are very nervous about your meeting with her and wonder how it will all turn out.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-1,you know that the vice-president has the authority to accept or reject your report.This is part of her ________ power.

A)reward
B)coercive
C)expert
D)legitimate
E)information

Question 13

Quinn is specialized in product development,and has been with Silver Widgets Inc.for 10 years.His knowledge and years of experience have increased his ________ and ________ power bases,as his manager depends more and more upon him in order to ensure product development goes smoothly.

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

Question 14

Celebrities are paid millions of dollars to endorse products in commercials because the advertisers believe the celebrities have ________ power that will sell their products.

A)coercive
B)referent
C)expert
D)reward
E)status

Question 15

Claude is the only salesperson in his company who has sold its products extensively and received a "Salesperson of the Year" award.You would expect him to have ________ power originating from his ________.

A)dependent;expertise
B)expert;skills
C)political;position
D)legitimate;skills
E)legitimate;status

Question 16

The most effective power bases for improving commitment are

A)referent and coercive.
B)legitimate and expert.
C)coercive and legitimate.
D)expert and referent.
E)reward and expert.

Question 17

Truyen is the office bully.He can make things very difficult for people in the workplace because of his yelling and intimidating manner.All staff want to avoid getting him angry.Which power base does Truyen rely upon to convince people in the office to do things "his way"?

A)reward
B)coercive
C)expert
D)legitimate
E)referent

Question 18

Carrie is one of the most important people in the office because she is the person to turn to when people have problems with their computers.Carrie has ________ power.

A)positional.
B)legitimate.
C)expert.
D)referent.
E)dependent.

Question 19

The power base of an office bully is

A)coercive.
B)dependent.
C)positional.
D)legitimate.
E)referent.

Question 20

The statement "That director can make things very difficult for those people she does not like,so you might want to avoid getting her angry," describes someone with what type of power?

A)referent
B)reinforcement
C)legitimate
D)coercive
E)dependent

Question 21

Wendy has a way with people.She is very friendly at all times with her co-workers,so when she needs something from them,this helps her get it.Which influence tactic is she using?

A)pressure
B)consultation
C)legitimacy
D)ingratiation
E)inspirational appeal

Question 22

Samir is a very charismatic person.Whenever he needs something from someone,he is usually successful in getting what he wants by appealing to the person's values or goals.Which influence tactic is he using?

A)pressure
B)consultation
C)legitimacy
D)inspirational appeal
E)ingratiation

Question 23

In order for employees to be truly ________,they need to have the skills necessary to handle the job and be effective in decision making.

A)dependent
B)influenced
C)lobbied
D)empowered
E)ingratiated

Question 24

The more that Elise is dependent on her brother Edward for funding to attend university,the more power Edward has over Elise.This example shows the

A)empowerment tactic.
B)coalition tactic.
C)tactic of ingratiation.
D)general dependency postulate.
E)effect of politicking.

Question 25

SCENARIO 7-1
Your colleagues at work often talk about the vice-president in your are .She has a reputation for being intimidating,abrasive,ruthless,and antagonistic.You have been appointed to discuss the latest report from your department with her.You are very nervous about your meeting with her and wonder how it will all turn out.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-1,the one base of power that the vice-president does NOT seem to have is

A)reward.
B)referent.
C)expert.
D)legitimate.
E)information.

Question 26

Ed has been successful in instilling in his staff a sense of ownership of the work that they do by giving them a lot of decision-making responsibility.He has thus ________ them.

A)persuaded
B)empowered
C)influenced
D)politicized
E)harassed

Question 27

James comes to you with data and a logical presentation supporting his request for additional personnel.Which of the following influence tactics is he using?

A)consultation
B)legitimacy
C)rational persuasion
D)exchange
E)ingratiation

Question 28

"Buttering up" someone before making a request is equivalent to which influence tactic?

A)ingratiation
B)consultation
C)coalition
D)bargaining
E)exchange

Question 29

If a supervisor threatens to write a damaging performance appraisal that would deny an employee her pay increase,which influence tactic is being used?

A)consultation
B)inspirational appeal
C)pressure
D)legitimacy
E)rational persuasion

Question 30

Dependency is increased when the resource you control is

A)important,scarce,and powerful.
B)important,scarce,and lacks substitution.
C)important,legitimate,and lacks substitution.
D)empowered,legitimate,and lacks substitution.
E)important,legitimate,and powerful.

Question 31

When a union goes on strike and management is not permitted to replace the striking employees,the union has considerable control over the organization's ability to carry out its tasks.This is known as

A)a general dependency postulate.
B)a tactic of ingratiation.
C)a coalition tactic.
D)nonsubstitutability.
E)an empowerment tactic.

Question 32

William is considered to be an effective boss who uses facts and data to logically present his ideas to others,and then gets others to support his objectives.Thus,he is using ________ and ________ as influence tactics.

A)pressure;consultation
B)exchange;pressure.
C)rational persuasion;consultation
D)legitimacy;consultation
E)exchange;rational persuasion

Question 33

Studies have shown that empowerment

A)is best supported by rational persuasion in most organizations.
B)is not effective in all cultures.
C)is effective in all workplaces.
D)is effective in all cultures.
E)depends upon the expertise of the leader.

Question 34

Suppose you were appointed to the position of supervisor,and were given the opportunity to lead a group of professionals.You realize that each of the professionals you supervise has a high growth need and is very responsible,so you decide that ________ would be an effective strategy to redistribute power and then increase productivity.

A)ingratiation
B)politics
C)lobbying
D)harassment
E)empowerment

Question 35

Research suggests that ________ is among the most effective influence tactics.

A)exchange
B)pressure
C)ingratiation
D)coalition
E)consultation

Question 36

Joseph comes to you with a request for funds for a project.He reminds you that company policy supports his position.He is using the influence tactic of

A)rational persuasion.
B)coalition.
C)ingratiation.
D)exchange.
E)legitimacy.

Question 37

Although managers have many influence tactics available to them to achieve organizational goals,they most frequently use

A)ingratiation.
B)exchange.
C)coalitions.
D)legitimacy.
E)rational persuasion.

Question 38

"You are such a good friend.Thank you for taking the time to talk with me and for your advice.You really know your laws and rules.By the way,could you get me two tickets to the game tonight? I heard you can get tickets at a discount." This is an example of which influence tactic?

A)inspirational appeal and exchange
B)consultation and legitimacy
C)exchange and pressure
D)personal appeal and ingratiation
E)pressure and rational persuasion

Question 39

The opposite of coercive power is ________ power.

A)reward
B)expert
C)referent
D)information
E)dependent

Question 40

Empowered people are not micromanaged and are free to choose how to do their work.Thus,it can be said that they have a sense of

A)competence.
B)meaning.
C)self-determination.
D)impact
E)self-respect.

Question 41

SCENARIO 7-3
Your supervisor often makes you feel uncomfortable by offering you special perks even though you have previously told him that you do not want them.However,each time he makes such offers,your supervisor insists that you accept his generosity.You have been with the company for eight years,the longest of all the employees.Your supervisor has been with the company only seven months.The other day your supervisor told you that in exchange for your ideas and contributions in the last regional meeting,you could have an extra two days off next month.You have told him that you are reluctant to take the two days off,as all the other employees will find out about the special perk and may not want to work with you after that,which will be even more uncomfortable.As usual,your supervisor insists that you accept his offer.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-3,the supervisor has also told you that you will be expected to return the favour in the future.The supervisor is

A)using information.
B)creating obligations.
C)building a coalition.
D)involved in strategic planning activities.
E)power brokering activities.

Question 42

Most studies confirm that understanding the concept of ________ is central to addressing the injustices associated with sexual harassment.

A)power
B)politicking
C)politics
D)ingratiation
E)dependency

Question 43

Quinton is an employee who is in the habit of spreading rumours about others and sometimes leaking confidential information in the process.This is known as

A)intimidation.
B)political behaviour.
C)lobbying.
D)whistle-blowing
E)deception.

Question 44

Studies show that impression management behaviour is ________ associated with job-interview success.

A)negatively
B)positively
C)not
D)sometimes
E)frequently

Question 45

One of the most important factors that determines politics in an organization is

A)that resources are seldom scarce.
B)that facts are open to interpretation.
C)that decisions are usually made in a climate of precision based on policies and rules.
D)leadership capabilities.
E)ethical philosophy.

Question 46

Sam is always willing to help someone in need at the office,but he also makes a point of letting the people that he helps know that they "owe him" as a result.This is known as ________ behaviour.

A)childish
B)referent
C)empowered
D)political
E)coercive

Question 47

Famous athletes like David Beckham put a lot of effort into trying to carefully control how others view them.This is known as

A)politicking.
B)deception.
C)impression management.
D)ingratiation.
E)consultation.

Question 48

SCENARIO 7-4
Igor is relatively new to Xenon Corporation and wants to make a good first impression on his co-workers and supervisor.He agrees with the supervisor's opinion most of the time and is always doing special things for him.Igor makes sure that he associates with the "right" people and is constantly complimenting others about their good work.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-4,Igor is attempting to use

A)politics.
B)impression management.
C)defensive behaviour.
D)his power base.
E)influence networking.

Question 49

With impression management,

A)all impressions people convey are false.
B)those who intend to become leaders and who engage in impression management are more likely to be chosen as leaders.
C)false images are always rewarded.
D)those presenting a false image are always discredited.
E)low self-monitors are more likely to use impression management techniques than high self-monitors.

Question 50

Political behaviour is

A)outside one's specified job requirements.
B)part of each job requirement.
C)seen only in large organizations.
D)counterproductive to individual goals.
E)seen as accepted business behaviour.

Question 51

According to your text,the process by which individuals attempt to control the perception others form about them is referred to as

A)impression management.
B)deceit.
C)self-promotion.
D)perception management.
E)value management.

Question 52

SCENARIO 7-3
Your supervisor often makes you feel uncomfortable by offering you special perks even though you have previously told him that you do not want them.However,each time he makes such offers,your supervisor insists that you accept his generosity.You have been with the company for eight years,the longest of all the employees.Your supervisor has been with the company only seven months.The other day your supervisor told you that in exchange for your ideas and contributions in the last regional meeting,you could have an extra two days off next month.You have told him that you are reluctant to take the two days off,as all the other employees will find out about the special perk and may not want to work with you after that,which will be even more uncomfortable.As usual,your supervisor insists that you accept his offer.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-3,your supervisor

A)is using his expertise.
B)is being an expert.
C)is creating a co-operative work environment.
D)is using common sense.
E)is engaging in harassment.

Question 53

SCENARIO 7-4
Igor is relatively new to Xenon Corporation and wants to make a good first impression on his co-workers and supervisor.He agrees with the supervisor's opinion most of the time and is always doing special things for him.Igor makes sure that he associates with the "right" people and is constantly complimenting others about their good work.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-4,Igor is engaging in which political activity?

A)using information
B)building coalitions
C)creating obligations
D)associating with influential people
E)building support for ideas

Question 54

SCENARIO 7-2
There is little consensus on what empowerment means.One study of executives identified two definitions.Some executives consider empowerment to be mostly about delegating within predefined parameters.Others consider empowerment to be about giving employees the latitude to make their own decisions and providing them with the information,tools,and the authority to act.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-2,before implementing your new initiative,it will be necessary to convince your superiors of the benefits of empowering your staff.Which of the following is the best reason,based on research,to proceed?

A)It is consistent with democratic and legitimate power.
B)It leads to happier employees.
C)It will help develop your organization's reputation.
D)It will lead to greater productivity.
E)It will reduce work-related stress.

Question 55

SCENARIO 7-3
Your supervisor often makes you feel uncomfortable by offering you special perks even though you have previously told him that you do not want them.However,each time he makes such offers,your supervisor insists that you accept his generosity.You have been with the company for eight years,the longest of all the employees.Your supervisor has been with the company only seven months.The other day your supervisor told you that in exchange for your ideas and contributions in the last regional meeting,you could have an extra two days off next month.You have told him that you are reluctant to take the two days off,as all the other employees will find out about the special perk and may not want to work with you after that,which will be even more uncomfortable.As usual,your supervisor insists that you accept his offer.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-3,studies show that this situation is probably more about ________ than about work efficiency.

A)power
B)coercion
C)politics
D)lobbying
E)impressions

Question 56

Stephanie is a stern boss who gets the most out of her employees by trying to intimidate them.She regularly makes them work overtime for no additional compensation by threatening them.This is an example of

A)postulating.
B)workplace bullying.
C)influence.
D)power.
E)dependency.

Question 57

SCENARIO 7-3
Your supervisor often makes you feel uncomfortable by offering you special perks even though you have previously told him that you do not want them.However,each time he makes such offers,your supervisor insists that you accept his generosity.You have been with the company for eight years,the longest of all the employees.Your supervisor has been with the company only seven months.The other day your supervisor told you that in exchange for your ideas and contributions in the last regional meeting,you could have an extra two days off next month.You have told him that you are reluctant to take the two days off,as all the other employees will find out about the special perk and may not want to work with you after that,which will be even more uncomfortable.As usual,your supervisor insists that you accept his offer.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-3,a basic problem in this situation is that

A)you are probably too assertive.
B)there is an unequal power relationship between your supervisor and you.
C)your perception is probably very different from your supervisor's.
D)the special perk is cost-free to the supervisor.
E)other employees will probably start to be assertive in meetings.

Question 58

Ted is always trying to manipulate conditions so that his peers think highly of him.Ted takes great care to protect his reputation and what others think of him.Ted is focusing on

A)networking.
B)forming coalitions.
C)creating obligations.
D)managing impressions.
E)value management.

Question 59

SCENARIO 7-2
There is little consensus on what empowerment means.One study of executives identified two definitions.Some executives consider empowerment to be mostly about delegating within predefined parameters.Others consider empowerment to be about giving employees the latitude to make their own decisions and providing them with the information,tools,and the authority to act.


-Referring to SCENARIO 7-2,while you are making your pitch to your superiors,one of them asks,"How will you know if your employees truly feel empowered?" At this point in your presentation,you show them the characteristics that empowered people have in common,based on research.Your list will state that employees

A)don't necessarily need to have an ownership mentality.
B)must have a sense of self-determination.
C)must have a low sense of competence.
D)don't necessarily need to be recognized for their efforts.
E)don't necessarily need to know or understand the values of the company

Question 60

Workplace bullying and sexual harassment are

A)the advantages of power.
B)coalition strategies of power.
C)political examples.
D)effective strategies to implement legitimate power.
E)abuses of power.

Question 61

When you possess something that others require but that you alone control,you make them dependent upon you and therefore you gain power over them.

Question 62

Research investigating empowerment at the workplace has shown that empowering those who do not want to be empowered or those who are not confident about their new responsibilities may actually lead to illness,thus decreasing productivity.

Question 63

An organization can be politics-free if

A)goals are set by the owners,policies are fair,and employees are trained appropriately.
B)employees receive proper orientation and training,resources are plentiful,and policies are clear.
C)employees feel empowered,goals are set by the management,and resources are regulated.
D)management only uses legitimate power,rewards are given out equally,and there is widespread empowerment.
E)performance outcomes are completely clear and objective,resources are not scarce,and everyone has the same goals and interests.

Question 64

Resistance occurs when a person goes along with a request grudgingly,puts in minimal effort,and takes little initiative in carrying out the request.

Question 65

A psychological contract

A)is a legally binding employee contract between an employer and an employee.
B)is an imaginary bond that occurs around six weeks into a newly hired employee's job experience.
C)is an understanding of expectations that strengthens over time between an employee and the employer.
D)can never be broken once established between a manager and an employee.
E)is the "tool" used by the office bully to establish a territory of influence.

Question 66

Power is a function of dependency.

Question 67

Fear and intimidation are coercive bases of power.

Question 68

Claiming the authority or right to make a request or showing that the request supports organizational goals or policies are examples of the legitimacy influence tactic.

Question 69

A person can have power over you only if he or she controls something you desire.

Question 70

The more scarce a person's skill is,the less power that person has.

Question 71

Matt has noticed that employees respond to legitimate power generally in three different ways.They show commitment,compliance,or resistance.

Question 72

Workplace civility can be defined with which of the following characteristics?

A)politeness toward others
B)violation of workplace norms
C)disregard for others
D)argument and critique
E)rude behaviour

Question 73

Of all the bases of power available,the power to hurt others is possibly the most often used,most often condemned,and most difficult to control.

Question 74

Researchers have found that there are few differences in the tactics used to influence actions,regardless of whether people are interacting with someone above or below them in rank.

Question 75

Power is increased by possession of something that is plentiful and easily available.

Question 76

The ability to make people dependent upon you will serve to increase your power.

Question 77

There has been an increase in "uncivil and aggressive workplace behaviours" due to

A)downsizing and pressures for increased productivity.
B)a lack of re-engineering.
C)enhanced budgets.
D)more employee training.
E)empowerment.

Question 78

A major cause of incivility in the workplace is

A)that employees are viewed simply as economic input variables that increase total cost.
B)long-term employee contracts that are supported by a strong collective agreement.
C)major distortions of the communication process within the workplace.
D)the availability of employee support resources,such as Employee Assistance Programs,that will deal with the incivility.
E)a culture that pushes high-performing teams.

Question 79

Studies show that the effects of empowerment depend upon the job requirements and personality of the employee.From this generalization,we could predict that if Bob's personality is such that he blames himself when things go wrong,he is more likely to experience stress if given control and is empowered.

Question 80

Empowerment is defined as the freedom and the ability of employees to make decisions and commitments.