Chapter 12 – Power: Its Uses and Abuses in OrganizationsBehavior in Organizations, 9/E
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Efforts to influence the behavior of other individuals or companies (successful or unsuccessful) through the control of valuable resources is to exercise
a. power.
b. prosocial behavior.
c. distributive justice.
d. social influence.
Answer:
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2. The use of facts and logical arguments to influence another’s behavior is
a. rational persuasion.
b. personal appeal.
c. legitimating.
d. exchange.
Answer:
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3. John is trying to influence the behavior of his company’s softball team by appealing to their values and ideals about teamwork and winning. John is using the social influence technique of
a. consultation.
b. personal appeal.
c. legitimating.
d. inspirational appeal.
Answer:
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4. Chris finds a way to make it easier for his subordinates to agree to his request. Chris is using:
a. exchange.
b. legitimating.
c. pressure.
d. collaboration.
Answer:
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5. Lee attempts to get his subordinates to help him by asking them to be involved in the process of planning organizational change. He appears to be using the social influence technique of
a. legitimating.
b. consultation.
c. ingratiating.
d. personal appeal.
Answer:
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6. Getting someone to do what you want by putting that person in a good mood is called
a. personal appeal.
b. ingratiation.
c. inspirational appeal.
d. emotional persuasion.
Answer:
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7. Ken promises his subordinates benefits if they comply with his requests. Ken is using:
a. exchange.
b. legitimating.
c. pressure.
d. collaboration.
Answer:
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8. Arvin tries to get others to comply with his requests by using his friendship with the person as part of the appeal. He is using:
a. exchange.
b. legitimating.
c. pressure.
d. personal appeals.
Answer:
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9. Leroy is trying to get his idea through to the operations director about TQM. He has talked to other floor supervisors and with the HR VP and takes one supervisor and the HR director in with him to talk with the ops director. Leroy is selling his TQM idea up the organization by use of the technique of
a. credibility.
b. responsibility.
c. coalition.
d. congruence.
Answer:
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10. Ken calls attention to his authority when making his requests. Ken is using:
a. exchange.
b. legitimating.
c. pressure.
d. collaboration.
Answer:
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11. Don seeks compliance through the use of intimidation. He is using:
a. exchange.
b. legitimating.
c. pressure.
d. collaboration.
Answer:
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12. Which of the following is one of the most popular social influence tactic used in with peers in organizations?
a. Coercive
b. Ingratiating
c. Personal appeal
d. Consultation
Answer:
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13. Tim is the CEO of Doc.com, a information search Internet company. A manager comes in saying that he’s been trying to get the information services manager to meet with him to discuss a new product but the IS manager keeps claiming he’s too busy. Tim calls the IS manager and asks him to come to his office. The IS manager shows up, Tim tells him to meet with the other manager and do so now. The meeting happens. Tim’s power to do this is an example of
a. rational persuasion.
b. charisma.
c. expert power.
d. position power.
Answer:
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14. Position power is based on a number of things including
a. expertise.
b. charisma.
c. rational persuasion.
d. none of these.
Answer:
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15. Power that derives from the recognized ability of someone to make decisions is referred to as
a. referent power.
b. legitimate power.
c. expert power.
d. reward power.
Answer:
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16. For an individual to exercise expert power in an organization, he/she most likely also has
a. charisma power.
b. social influence power.
c. expert power.
d. legitimate power.
Answer:
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17. Individuals with the capacity to control access to jobs and money are said to have
a. reward power.
b. coercive power.
c. social power.
d. information power.
Answer:
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18. Power derived from one's control over valued resources, such as pay, is known as
a. reward power.
b. legitimate power.
c. information power.
d. referent power.
Answer:
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19. Suppose a supervisor gets a subordinate to do what she wants by threatening him with suspension or firing. It can be said that the supervisor is relying on
a. reward power.
b. coercive power.
c. expert power.
d. legitimate power.
Answer:
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20. Personal power has a number of bases, including
a. rational persuasion.
b. information power.
c. the capacity to control punishment.
d. All of these.
Answer:
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21. Suppose that you do something the way your boss asks you to do it because you believe your boss knows the best way to do it. What type of power would your boss be relying on in this case?
a. Legitimate power
b. Coercive power
c. Expert power
d. Reward power
Answer:
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22. When it comes to expert power
a. it is one of the least used bases of power.
b. it is based in personal qualities; how much one is admired, as well as one’s ability to enthuse others.
c. it is the most commonly used type of position power.
d. those who are able to use it are among the most powerful in an organization.
Answer:
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23. When asked what type of power people prefer to exercise they say
a. charisma power.
b. legitimate power.
c. expert power.
d. information power.
Answer:
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24. "Mike, I'm really in a bind. Unless I get that report finished, Mr. Johnson will be very upset with me. Because you're my friend, I'm asking you to help me out of this jam." The speaker appears to be relying on which of the following bases of power?
a. Referent power
b. Reward power
c. Coercive power
d. Legitimate power
Answer:
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25. A type of personal power that is based on both expertise and personal qualities is
a. referent power.
b. legitimate power.
c. expert power.
d. charisma power.
Answer:
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26. The more someone uses coercive power the lower his/her ________ power will be.
a. charisma
b. legitimate
c. referent
d. expert
Answer:
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27. Power based on others liking the power wielder because of his/her attitude of enthusiasm and magnetic personality is called
a. legitimate power.
b. charisma power.
c. expert power.
d. information power.
Answer:
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28. The capacity to neutralize another’s influence is known as:
a. counterpower.
b. legitimating.
c. pressure.
d. collaboration.
Answer:
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29. The smallest or least important power base for CEOs is
a. management decision control
b. expertise and knowledge
c. personality and leadership skills
d. support from the financial community
Answer:
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30. From which power bases do American CEOs obtain their influence?
a. Management decision control
b. Expertise and knowledge
c. Personality and leadership skills
d. Support from the board of directors
Answer:
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31. Most American CEOs feel that they have ________ than they did ten years ago.
a. more power
b. the same amount of power
c. a different type of power but the same amount
d. less power
Answer:
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32. The process of putting people in charge of what they do, by passing power from managers to employees is known as
a. consultation-based social influence.
b. information power.
c. empowerment.
d. organizational politics.
Answer:
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33. Empowerment requires managers to
a. exercise charismatic-based power.
b. share expert information.
c. have control over rewards.
d. do none of the above.
Answer:
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34. When employees are empowered, managers are more likely to exercise
a. expert power.
b. charisma power.
c. coercive power.
d. any type of position power.
Answer:
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35. Empowering employees has a number of results, such as
a. decreasing the importance of information power.
b. increasing the importance of position power for managers.
c. decreasing the importance of coercive power for the employees.
d. increasing the importance of expert power.
Answer:
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36. A relatively enduring atmosphere in the workplace that supports empowerment is known as:
a. empowerment culture.
b. legitimating.
c. empowerment risk.
d. empowerment climate.
Answer:
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37. A example of a high power distance culture is
a. Japan.
b. The U.S.
c. Mexico.
d. Poland.
Answer:
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38. The two theoretical models that explain the use of organizational power by groups or subunits are
a. resource-dependency and strategic contingencies models.
b. the same as for individuals, the position and personal power models.
c. based in position authority and organizational politics.
d. None of these.
Answer:
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39. When one organizational subunit has control over another because it has more of some valued resource than the other, you see an example of the
a. use of information power by a unit.
b. strategic contingencies theory.
c. resource-dependence view.
d. combination of coercive and expert power.
Answer:
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40. According to the resource-dependency view, the most powerful organizational subunits are ones that
a. are the highest in the hierarchy of the organization.
b. have greatest control over resources that other subunits need.
c. control the actions of other subunits.
d. have access to and process information.
Answer:
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41. Research in the semi-conductor industry found that how much power an organizational subunit had depended on when it was founded and
a. their access to, and processing of, information.
b. the power and leadership styles of the members of the group.
c. the background of the entrepreneur starting the company.
d. the level of the subunit within the organization’s hierarchy.
Answer:
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42. Research found that within successful firms, strategic contingencies were controlled by
a. subunits closest to the CEO in the authority structure.
b. departments that were the most important for organizational success.
c. subunits that controlled the majority of valued resources.
d. departments that had the longest history and most experienced people.
Answer:
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43. The strategic contingencies model explains intraorganizational power in terms of the capacity of some subunits to
a. control valued resources.
b. provide coordination and communication to other units.
c. have access to, and process information.
d. control the actions of other subunits.
Answer:
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44. According to strategic contingencies theory, which of the following is a factor that provides subunit power?
a. The capacity to reduce uncertainty.
b. High organizational centrality.
c. Performing nonsubstitutable activities.
d. All of the above.
Answer:
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45. According to strategic contingencies theory, subunits acquire power when
a. they control valued resources.
b. they have access to the founder/CEO.
c. they are high in work flow centrality.
d. they are able to enthuse and excite other work units to greater performance.
Answer:
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46. The abuse of power is best associated with:
a. counterpower.
b. empowerment.
c. pressure.
d. organizational politics.
Answer:
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47. The abuse of power is evidenced in:
a. counterpower.
b. empowerment.
c. pressure.
d. sexual harassment.
Answer:
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48. Which of the following is NOT true about sexual harassment?
a. the victim must be a member of the opposite sex
b. the harasser can be a non-employee
c. it may occur without economic injury
d. the harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome
Answer:
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49. Which of the following is true about sexual harassment?
a. the harasser can be a non-employee
b. it may occur without economic injury
c. the harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome
d. all of the above are true
Answer:
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50. In 2005, approximately how much did the EEOC recover in monetary benefits for the charging parties of sexual harassment?
a. $15 million
b. $48 million
c. $78 million
d. $125 million
Answer:
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51. In 2005, approximately how many sexual harassment charges did the EEOC receive?
a. 12,679
b. 43,010
c. 67,819
d. 1,507
Answer:
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52. In 2005, approximately what percentage of sexual harassment charges filed with the EEOC were by males?
a. 5%
b. 14%
c. 26%
d. 33%
Answer:
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53. The practice of requiring sexual favors in exchange for some tangible conditions or privileges of employment is known as:
a. counterpower.
b. hostile environment sexual harassment.
c. pressure.
d. quid pro quo sexual harassment.
Answer:
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54. The practice of subjecting individuals to negative, unwanted or abusive conditions is known as:
a. counterpower.
b. hostile environment sexual harassment.
c. pressure.
d. quid pro quo sexual harassment.
Answer:
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55. Which of the following is NOT a direct cost of sexual harassment?
a. attorney fees
b. employee time
c. manager time
d. impact on stock price
Answer:
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56. Which of the following is NOT an indirect cost of sexual harassment?
a. impact on the work group
b. attorney fees
c. impact on stock price
d. impact on cost of insurance
Answer:
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57. Which of the following is not a myth about sexual harassment?
a. if women would only say no, harassment would stop
b. harassment will stop if the victim simply ignores it
c. harassment that is ignored either continues or worsens
d. if women dressed less provocatively, there would be no sexual harassment
Answer:
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58. Which of the following is a myth about sexual harassment?
a. anyone can be sexually harassed, regardless of how they are dressed
b. harassment will stop if the victim simply ignores it
c. harassment that is ignored either continues or worsens
d. No means no
Answer:
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59. ________ refers to unauthorized use of power to enhance or protect one’s own or one’s group’s interests.
a. Social influence
b. Power
c. Organizational politics
d. Exchange
Answer:
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60. Organizational politics is concerned with
a. meeting organizational goals.
b. the disbursement of subunit power.
c. actions not officially sanctioned by the organization to meet one’s own goals.
d. the meeting of departmental goals.
Answer:
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61. If an individual withholds information that might make him/her look bad, avoids those who might ask for information, and overwhelms others with information, he/she is probably using the organizational political tactic of
a. controlling access to information.
b. cultivating a favorable impression.
c. playing a political game.
d. developing a base of support.
Answer:
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62. One of the most popular tactics of organizational politics is
a. blaming and attacking others.
b. withholding information that might make them look bad.
c. playing political games.
d. associating oneself with the successful accomplishments of others.
Answer:
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63. One can cultivate a favorable image in an organization in a number of ways, such as
a. blaming and attacking others.
b. withholding information that might make them look bad.
c. playing political games.
d. associating oneself with powerful others.
Answer:
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64. Managers who do favors for others who might feel obligated to repay them are using which political tactic?
a. Cultivating a favorable impression.
b. Controlling access to information.
c. Creating obligations and using reciprocity.
d. Aligning oneself with more powerful others.
Answer:
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65. People who engage in organizational politics would likely possess all of the following characteristics EXCEPT
a. ambition.
b. introversion.
c. intelligence.
d. popularity.
Answer:
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66. Organizational political activity is likely to occur in the face of
a. ambiguity.
b. large amounts of scarce resources being at stake.
c. conflicting interests of organizational units.
d. all of these conditions.
Answer:
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67. When it comes to organizational politics and the human resource function, it seems that:
a. it is the least political of management functions because of the intense governmental regulation.
b. political activity is limited to the training and development function.
c. political activity is present in employee selection, appraisal, and compensation.
d. organizational political activity is discouraged here except in dealings with upper management.
Answer:
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68. The concern of a rater for his/her own image when evaluating an employee is reflective of:
a. counterpower.
b. hostile environment.
c. organizational politics.
d. deviance.
Answer:
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69. The concern of a decision maker for the implication of a personnel decision he/she made is reflective of:
a. counterpower.
b. hostile environment.
c. organizational politics.
d. deviance.
Answer:
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Mini-Case Questions
Table 12.1
Lee is the vice-president of a large department. He has a number of projects to assign to his managers, who are already overworked and understaffed. While they are capable and willing, one more project is going to push some of them to the breaking point. Before assigning any projects, he calls a meeting of all his managers and discusses the current situation and the new projects that have been given to him. He asks his managers for their help in getting through this workload crisis and points out that they were able to do it before. A couple of managers complain to Lee. One-on-one after the meeting, saying it isn’t fair to expect so much, they can’t keep going at this pace, Lee points out that the company has always been this way. He has told them about the workload when he interviewed them, and they both had been through this kind of push before. Lee decides to give the Techno 2120 project to Joan. As he tells her about it, he explains that this project will contribute directly to the company’s bottom line, that it is something similar to her last project, making her the best manager for the job. With Hoa, Lee begins by making some small talk and asking him how his golf game is going. Lee expresses admiration for Hoa’s skill as a golfer and his ability to balance his work and personal life so well. Then Lee explaines how Hoa is the only one who can handle the project he is getting. As his best project manager because of his great past results, Hoa is the one for the job.
70. Refer to Table 12.1. When assigning the Techno 2120 project, Lee used:
a. rational persuasion.
b. legitimating
c. personal appeal.
d. consultation.
Answer:
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71. Refer to Table 12.1. Lee’s social influence tactic with Hoa was:
a. personal appeal.
b. exchange.
c. coalition building.
d. ingratiating.
Answer:
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72. Refer to Table 12.1. In reasoning with the complaining managers, Lee used:
a. rational persuasion.
b. personal appeal.
c. exchange.
d. pressure.
Answer:
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73. Refer to Table 12.1. Lee begins his influencing by using the social influence tactic of:
a. rational persuasion.
b. congruence.
c. personal appeal.
d. coalition building.
Answer:
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Table 12.2
The boss wants the staff to work overtime this week on a big project. He tells the managers that if they want to keep their jobs, they better keep their people here. Bob goes to his department and calls a meeting. He explains the problem and asks if everyone would be willing to stay and put in the time. His employees recognize his right to ask them, he’s been good to them in the past, and they want to help him out, so they all agree to stay. Joan goes to her department, calls everyone together and tells them the bad news. She then begins assigning responsibilities and scheduling work. One of her new supervisors says, “Who are you to tell us we have to work overtime?” Her answer is, “I’m your boss, that’s who, now get with it.” Joseph offers everyone in his department compensatory time and a pizza party if they put in the overtime.
74. Refer to Table 12.2. Joan is using ________ power.
a. personal
b. coercive
c. legitimate
d. referent
Answer:
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75. Refer to Table 12.2. The power that Joseph uses to get his people to work overtime is:
a. reward power.
b. legitimate power.
c. referent power.
d. charisma power.
Answer:
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76. Refer to Table 12.2. The boss is using ________ power to gain his managers’ compliance.
a. personal
b. coercive
c. legitimate
d. referent
Answer:
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77. Refer to Table 12.2. Bob uses ________ power to get his workers to comply.
a. personal
b. coercive
c. legitimate
d. referent
Answer:
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`
Table 12.3
G.C.I. is a company with a highly political environment. To survive, managers must be adept at organizational politics. The company has clear lines of authority, operating procedures, and company policies. But the CEO confers favors based on whom he likes at the moment. Performance goals are not clear, career paths are confusing, and what constitutes success for the company is never clarified; profit, market share, quality, customer satisfaction, or what. The new marketing director sees that production and finance have a great deal of power. So he approaches the production director and offers to work closely with him to avoid creating demand he can’t meet. When the marketing director has an open personnel position and knows that the production director desperately needs an assistant, the marketing director surrenders his position to the production director. Seeing this relationship develop, the finance director begins to give marketing only direct, selected information. He avoids meeting the marketing director except in group meetings where there is no opportunity to talk one-on-one. The marketing director immediately understands what is happening. He decides to enlist the production director, the sales manager, and the human resource director in a plan to reduce the finance director’s power or even get him fired.
78. Refer to Table 12.3. The finance director’s political response to the marketing director’s actions with the production director is an example of:
a. blaming and attacking others.
b. aligning oneself with more powerful others.
c. playing political games.
d. controlling access to information.
Answer:
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79. Refer to Table 12.3. The new marketing director is engaging in the organizational political tactic of:
a. building powerful coalitions.
b. aligning oneself with more powerful others.
c. playing political games.
d. controlling access to information.
Answer:
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80. Refer to Table 12.3. The marketing director’s response to the finance director’s actions is an example of:
a. blaming and attacking others.
b. aligning oneself with more powerful others.
c. playing political games.
d. developing a base of support.
Answer:
Attached Page 489
True/False Questions
81. Social influence is the capacity to influence another’s behavior through the appropriate use of power.
Answer F Page 466
82. If you are asking for someone’s participation in a decision in order to exercise social influence on him or her, you are using the tactic of ingratiation.
Answer F Page 467
83. When trying to sell an idea to your boss you can sell the issue by ensuring that the issue is compatible with the organization’s mission and objectives.
Answer T Page 470
84. Power based in one’s ability to reward others is know as legitimate power.
Answer F Page 471
85. Information based power comes from one’s position within the organization.
Answer T Page 472
86. Power that comes from your own personal qualities and the admiration of others in the organization is referent-based power.
Answer T Page 472
87. Research has shown that most people prefer using coercive power.
Answer F Page 474
88. When seeking to influence peers and superiors it is best to use either reward or referent power.
Answer F Page 474
89. Presumably, people in high power distance cultures will react more favorably to empowerment than those in low power distance cultures.
Answer F Page 478
90. The human resources department allocates personnel slots based on their capacity plan for the company. HR has resource-dependency based power.
Answer T Page 480
91. If the purchasing department in a company is where authorization for upgrades to any managers’ computers and software come from, then the purchasing department has resource-dependency based power.
Answer F Page 480
92. Quid pro quo sexual harassment involves requiring the victim to provide sexual favors.
Answer T Page 484
93. Hostile environment sexual harassment involves subjecting the victim to abusive conditions.
Answer T Page 484
94. A direct cost of sexual harassment is the impact on stock price.
Answer F Page 485
95. An indirect cost of sexual harassment is the employee time spent preparing for a trial.
Answer F Page 485
96. Organizational politics is simply non-sanctioned action taken by an individual to influence others in order for the individual to be able to achieve his/her goals.
Answer T Page 488
97. If Jamie is in the process of building up her image with others in her organization by the way she dresses, who she lunches with, etc., she is trying to use the political tactic of controlling access to information in order to reach her goals.
Answer F Page 488
98. When Ben in accounting aligns himself with Mabel in marketing and they with Jeb the VP of operations, in order to achieve the goal of getting the company to consider a cafeteria benefits plan, they are using the political tactic of building a powerful coalition.
Answer T Page 489
99. People high in self-monitoring are less likely to engage in politics than those low in self-monitoring.
Answer F Page 490
100. Political behavior is more likely to occur in an organization that is highly centralized.
Answer T Page 491
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