OB Chapter 8: Power and Politics
26. The ________ relationship can be seen in the power of occupational categories. In occupations where supply is low relative to demand, compensation is more attractive. a. substitutability b. scarcity-dependency c. referent power d. importance-dependency e. referent dependency
b.scarcity-dependency
60. Activities that influence the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within the organization are a. human resources. b. political behaviour. c. tactical planning activities. d. strategic planning activities. e. power brokering activities.
b.political behaviour.
39. According to research the favoured power tactic utilized by all individuals is a. inspirational appeals. b. rational persuasion. c. consultation tactics. d. legitimating tactics. e. coalition tactics.
b.rational persuasion.
Sexual harassment is not about sex but an abuse of power
True
1. Power is a. capacity to influence others. b. dependency upon others. c. equal to sexual harassment. d. being rewarded by others. e. independence.
a.capacity to influence others.
3. Power is a. alienation between two parties. b. a function of relationship dependency. c. corruption of ethical behaviour. d. intermittent between management. e. only possible if you have legitimate authority.
b.a function of relationship dependency.
29. Dependency upon you is decreased when the resource you control is a. important. b. scarce. c. plentiful. d. in demand. e. insufficient.
c.plentiful.
Legitimate political behaviour refers to actions that are specified in one's formal job description
False
Bases of power refers to what the power holder has that gives him or her power
True
Political behaviour describes behaviours outside one's specified job requirements
True
32. Antonio is clearly the boss, and no one would ever dispute that since he is very accomplished; he deserves his position. He is particularly good at using his power to get people both within and outside of his department to do what he wants and needs. Antonio is exhibiting a. Influence b. Dependency c. Empowerment d. Reference e. Harassment
a.Influence
69. The more an organization ________, the greater the likelihood that an employee can get away with politicking. a. allows politics b. appraises an individual immediately following performance c. mistreats employees d. emphasizes an overall performance measure e. sets specific standards for performance
a.allows politics
85. Peter consistently comments on Jake's appearance, sarcastically commenting on his clothes and haircut, insisting on sitting beside him in the lunchroom and complaining about the odors from his food. He makes up stories about Jake, and then laughs and tells everyone Jake is his best friend. Peter's behaviour is a. bullying. b. ingratiating. c. legitimate. d. condescending. e. self-promotion.
a.bullying.
43. Sophia, your co-worker, gets others involved to support her idea for the new marketing strategy; she explains her ideas, shows people documents and concept plans and asks directly for their help at the meeting when the decision is made. Sophia is using what type of influence tactic? a. consultation tactics. b. personal appeal. c. inspirational appeal. d. pressure tactics. e. ingratiation tactics.
a.consultation tactics.
66. Which of the following terms is least synonymous with the definition of political behaviour? a. cooperation b. power c. decision making d. informal behaviour e. influencing decision making
a.cooperation
74. Which of the following is an example of an impression management? a. dressing to match the company dress code b. mirroring the behaviours of an interviewer c. finding areas of disagreement d. asking favours of others e. associating with your friends
a.dressing to match the company dress code
75. ―I've got two tickets to the game tonight that I can't use. Take them. Consider it a 'thank you' for taking the time to talk with me.‖ This is an example of which influence tactic? a. exchange b. flattery c. accounts d. conformity e. collaboration
a.exchange
76. Emphasizing favourable events to someone in order to maximize the desirable implications for that person, is an example of which influence tactic? a. exchange b. rational persuasion c. coalitions d. favours e. conformity
a.exchange
15. If a team leader decides to utilize an information base of power they would be most apt to a. have the data or knowledge that you need. b. have the right to expect you to comply with legitimate requests. c. make things difficult for people. d. give special benefits or rewards to people. e. have the experience and knowledge to earn your respect.
a.have the data or knowledge that you need.
28. The study of scarcity helps explain a. how low-ranking members in an organization, who have important information, gain power. b. where power comes from within an organization. c. how employee behaviour is manipulated by management. d. how leaders are forced to act in order to achieve goals. e. how decisions are made throughout an organization.
a.how low-ranking members in an organization, who have important information, gain power.
72. The process by which individuals attempt to control the impressions others form of them is referred to as a. impression management. b. misdirection. c. defensive behaviour. d. perception management. e. value management.
a.impression management.
36. How do individuals translate their bases of power into specific, desired action? a. influence tactics b. pressure tactics c. winning friends d. implementation tactics e. empowerment tactics
a.influence tactics
35. Pina is very charming, and she puts her charm to her advantage by using flattery prior to asking someone to do something for her, and it works most of the time. This influence tactic is known as a. ingratiation. b. personal appeals. c. inspirational appeals. d. pressure. e. rational persuasion.
a.ingratiation.
61. 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. not related to power.
a.outside one's specified job requirements.
62. Ron is very adept at trying to influence employees in other departments on various matters to gain an advantage for himself or for his department. This is known as a. political behaviour. b. abuse of power. c. harassment. d. referent power. e. dependency.
a.political behaviour.
55. Most studies confirm that the concept of ________ is central to understanding sexual harassment. a. power b. sex c. politics d. locus of control e. common sense
a.power
58. SCENARIO 8-2 Your supervisor embarrasses you by constantly telling sexual jokes and making sexual comments. Although he has never directly asked you to sleep with him, you feel threatened and are uncomfortable; it is difficult for you to do your job. Studies show that this situation is probably more about ________ than about sex. a. power b. coercion c. politics d. impressing you e. influence
a.power
53. Unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature is a. sexual harassment. b. not illegal. c. ethical-power usage. d. flattering. e. welcoming.
a.sexual harassment.
57. SCENARIO 8-2 Your supervisor embarrasses you by constantly telling sexual jokes and making sexual comments. Although he has never directly asked you to sleep with him, you feel threatened and are uncomfortable; it is difficult for you to do your job. Your supervisor is guilty of all of a. sexual harassment. b. abusing his influence. c. creating an equitable work environment. d. exercising common sense. e. showing respect.
a.sexual harassment.
45. When Ang, your desk partner, offers to give you tickets to a concert in return for your support of his marketing strategy, he is a. using exchange tactics. b. making a personal appeal. c. making an inspirational appeal. d. using coalition tactics. e. using pressure tactics.
a.using exchange tactics.
65. Jose is well aware of the negative effect that office politics can have on employees. Which of the following principles will help him to improve the climate of the organization? a. Nobody wins unless everybody wins b. Just ask for opinions - don't change them c. Some employees expect to paid back d. Success never creates opposition e. Nothing succeeds like success.
b.Just ask for opinions - don't change them
11. Nicole is abrasive, but she is the boss and employees know she works hard and has earned her management position. When she asks you to do something, you agree to do it because you know she has the right to. What type of power does Nicole possess? a. Reward b. Legitimate c. Expert d. Coercive e. Referent
b.Legitimate
24. The degree of dependency a person feels is inversely proportional to a. power. b. alternative sources of supply. c. knowledge. d. financial resources. e. leadership influence.
b.alternative sources of supply.
34. Todd is great at influencing other people. He is particularly skilled at getting the support of other people to back him up when he asks for something from the boss. This influence tactic is known as a. pressure. b. coalition tactics. c. legitimating tactics. d. exchange. e. rational persuasion.
b.coalition tactics.
14. People comply with ________ power because they fear negative outcomes if they don't comply. a. knowledge b. coercive c. influence d. persuasive e. legitimate
b.coercive
21. SCENARIO 8-1 Your colleagues at work are constantly talking about the vice president in your area. He is feared throughout the organization as a ruthless man who is not to be ―messed with‖. It is necessary for you to bring him a report and you are very nervous about having to deal with him. The vice president's major base of power seems to be a. reward. b. coercive. c. referent. d. expert. e. position.
b.coercive.
49. What employees love about Abdul is that he doesn't micromanage; they are free to choose how to do their work. His employees are enjoying a. a sense of competence. b. empowerment. c. a sense of pride. d. a sense of impact. e. a sense of meaning.
b.empowerment.
52. Research shows using self-promotion ____________ job interview outcomes and __________ performance evaluation outcomes. a. decreases, decreases. b. increases, decreases. c. decreases, increases. d. increases, increases. e. decreases, has no impact on.
b.increases, decreases.
31. Li is a worker who did favours for two co-workers who supported her project proposal in a recent meeting. This is an example of a. coercive practice. b. influence tactics. c. power play. d. deceptive practices. e. empowerment play.
b.influence tactics.
77. SCENARIO 8-3 Jerod is new to Xenon Corporation and wants to make a good impression on his coworkers and supervisor. He is on a three-month probationary status, and he knows that all of the office staff have a say in whether he is permanently hired. He agrees with the supervisor's opinion most of the time and is always doing nice things for him. Jerod makes sure that he associates with the ―right‖ people and is constantly complimenting others about their good work. Jerod is using a. politics. b. influence tactics. c. defensive behaviour. d. his power base. e. influence association.
b.influence tactics.
5. The most important aspect of power is a. it is needed to get things done in an organization. b. it is a function of dependency. c. it tends to corrupt people. d. it is counterproductive. e. it is productive.
b.it is a function of dependency.
84. Diane is a boss who seems to be obsessed with control, as every decision that is made in the department has to be approved by her. Diane is exercising a. referent power. b. legitimate power. c. personal power. d. coercive power. e. reward power.
b.legitimate power.
64. One of the most unpleasant characteristics of Stephan, a new employee, is that he regularly attempts to take credit for the positive accomplishments of others. This is known as a. building coalitions. b. managing impressions. c. blaming others. d. being political. e. abuse of power.
b.managing impressions.
68. When employees see their work environment as political, the effect on work attitude and behaviour is usually a. positive. b. negative. c. compliance. d. cooperation. e. ambiguous.
b.negative.
20. What type of power base allows celebrities to demand millions of dollars to endorse products? a. coercive b. referent c. expert d. reward e. status
b.referent
23. SCENARIO 8-1 Your colleagues at work are constantly talking about the vice president in your area. He is feared throughout the organization as a ruthless man who is not to be ―messed with‖. It is necessary for you to bring him a report and you are very nervous about having to deal with him. The base of power the vice president does not seem to have is a. reward. b. referent. c. expert. d. legitimate. e. connection.
b.referent.
13. Lisa works in the Human Resources Department, and everyone tries to do favours for her because she has the ability to give special benefits to employees like free corporate tickets to hockey games. Lisa possesses a. coercive power. b. reward power. c. referent power. d. legitimate power. e. information power.
b.reward power.
27. Jacques is the only employee in the department who has been with the company for more than one year. As a result, he is the only one who knows what to do when unforeseen things happen. The other employees depend on him because the knowledge that he has is a. powerful. b. scarce. c. timely. d. political. e. hearsay.
b.scarce.
59. SCENARIO 8-2 Your supervisor embarrasses you by constantly telling sexual jokes and making sexual comments. Although he has never directly asked you to sleep with him, you feel threatened and are uncomfortable; it is difficult for you to do your job. A basic problem in this situation is that a. your clothes are probably too suggestive. b. there is an unequal power relationship between your supervisor and you. c. your perception of the situation is the same as your supervisor's. d. this is not clearly sexual harassment, since he has not requested that you give him sexual favours. e. your supervisor probably has nothing better to do.
b.there is an unequal power relationship between your supervisor and you.
44. When Jing, your co-worker, demands and threatens that you must support his ideas on the marketing strategy, he is a. making a personal appeal. b. using pressure tactics. c. using coalition tactics. d. using exchange tactics. e. making an inspirational appeal.
b.using pressure tactics.
54. Sheila is a very demanding boss who regularly requires employees to work overtime without pay ―or else.‖ This is an example of a. harassment. b. workplace bullying. c. intimidation. d. political behaviour. e. reward power.
b.workplace bullying.
50. Alison is very happy with her job primarily because she has total decision-making power with respect to both the content and context of her job. When she makes a mistake, her supervisor discusses it with her. For Alison to be empowered, what steps must a manager ensure? a. Alison is demoted if she makes a mistake. b. Alison is encouraged to blame others for mistakes. c. Alison is given relevant training to try to prevent such mistakes. d. Alison discusses her mistake with a committee to ensure she doesn't repeat it. e. Alison's mistake is discussed in the company newsletter.
c.Alison is given relevant training to try to prevent such mistakes.
2. Mohammed was a very good report writer, but a terrible speller, so he had to rely on Kelly, one of his coworkers, to help him with this aspect of his reports. What type of relationship did Mohammed have with Kelly? a. Cordial b. Collaborative c. Dependency d. Powerful e. Enduring
c.Dependency
56. Which of the following is true of sexual harassment? a. It includes a single request for a date when a person. b. Sexual harassment is accepted in western business cultures. c. Higher-ranking women can sexually harass junior male colleagues. d. It cannot occur between co-workers. e. A man cannot be sexually harassed by a woman.
c.Higher-ranking women can sexually harass junior male colleagues.
38. The influence tactic that gets the support of other people to back a request is a. exchange tactics. b. inspirational appeals. c. coalition tactics. d. consultation tactics. e. legitimating tactics.
c.coalition tactics.
67. Political behaviour includes activities such as a. bypassing chain of common. b. forming coalitions. c. compliance. d. enforcing organizational policies . e. social responsibility.
c.compliance.
46. When employees have power, they are likely to satisfied with their jobs, which can lead to higher productivity. This is known as what type of employee power? a. task-setting b. self-management c. empowerment d. participatory e. mission-defining
c.empowerment
47. One of the greatest things about working for Francois is that he lets his staff make decisions and commitments without always having to check with him first. Francois is practicing a. dependency. b. power. c. empowerment. d. class. e. political behaviour.
c.empowerment.
48. Roy's product development committee has authority to make decisions about both tasks and procedures relating to the new product; the committee operates independently, based on company's values and mission. This is an example of a. job context. b. job content. c. empowerment. d. dependency. e. referent power.
c.empowerment.
71. Political behaviour can negatively impact a. internal locus of control. b. high self-monitoring. c. job performance. d. role ambiguity. e. role conflict.
c.job performance.
7. If a person decides to employ a coercive base of power, he or she would be most apt to a. give special benefits or rewards to people. b. have the experience and knowledge to earn your respect. c. make things difficult for people. d. have the data or knowledge that you need. e. have the right to expect you to comply with legitimate requests.
c.make things difficult for people.
70. Which of the following factors is most likely to contribute to political behaviour? a. authoritarian personalities b. employees' high need for power c. organizational culture d. age of the organization e. management's high need for power
c.organizational culture
33. Kayla is considered to be a ―political animal‖; one of her redeeming qualities is that she is adept at influencing others in such a way that it enhances THEIR own objectives. This is known as a. political behaviour. b. influence. c. political skill. d. dependency. e. harassment.
c.political skill.
37. When Rico, from accounting, presents a large amount of data to make a logical argument for his budgeting proposal, the influence tactic he is utilizing a. inspirational appeals. b. consultation tactics. c. rational persuasion. d. legitimating tactics. e. personal appeal.
c.rational persuasion.
19. Mai grants power to a colleague whom she admires and aspires to be like; the power Mai has granted is a. coercive. b. legitimate. c. referent. d. expert. e. political.
c.referent.
17. Your manager offers you a raise if you will complete additional work beyond the requirements of your job; he or she is exercising a. legitimate power. b. coercive power. c. reward power. d. expert power. e. referent power.
c.reward power.
6. Bases of power refers to a. power characteristics. b. whether the power position has a good foundation. c. what the power holder has that gives him or her power. d. the elements of power. e. leadership characteristics.
c.what the power holder has that gives him or her power.
73. Which of the following is false, concerning impression management techniques? a. Applicants using impression management techniques did better in interviews. b. Applicants using a self-promotion during an interview were rated higher. c. Impression management techniques tend to be used more in highly uncertain, ambiguous situations. d. Applicants using a submissive style were preferred because this demonstrated respect. e. Applicants ingratiation and self-promotion to reflect confidence.
d.Applicants using a submissive style were preferred because this demonstrated respect.
8. Keisha is considered to be an intimidating boss. It is well known throughout the organization that if you do something wrong in her view, she will get angry and make things difficult for you. What type of power is Keisha exhibiting? a. Reward b. Legitimate c. Expert d. Coercive e. Referent
d.Coercive
4. Which of the following is most important in the definition of power? a. persuasion b. potential c. discretion d. dependency e. capacity
d.dependency
25. In which instance will there be no dependency? a. having something that somebody wants b. being uncertain of selling one's product c. possessing specialized knowledge d. empowering and sharing power e. having a resource with no viable substitute
d.empowering and sharing power
51. Gina has been given the authority to decide for herself how the tasks and procedures relating to a new project will be executed, but how the project fits into the organization's mission and objectives has been set for her. Thus, for this project, Gina has a. impact. b. pressure. c. dependency. d. empowerment. e. influence.
d.empowerment.
16. The statement ―That person has experience and knowledge that I can respect,‖ describes a person with what type of power? a. referent b. reward c. legitimate d. expert e. illegitimate
d.expert
18. Your physician has advised you to take a series of medications. You comply because of his or her ________ power. a. coercive b. legitimate c. reward d. expert e. referent
d.expert
10. Yanni has been with the organization for 25 years; even though he hasn't been promoted, he is held in high regard by co-workers who ask for his ideas when trying to solve problems. It is agreed amongst his coworkers that ―Yanni knows everything and everything around here!‖ Yanni possesses a. no power. b. referent power. c. information power. d. expert power. e. legitimate power.
d.expert power.
30. Power tactics explain a. how to influence others in an organization. b. how things motivate people to seek power. c. how to organize power functions. d. how to translate power bases into specific actions. e. how to use power for organizational benefit.
d.how to translate power bases into specific actions.
22. SCENARIO 8-1 Your colleagues at work are constantly talking about the vice president in your area. He is feared throughout the organization as a ruthless man who is not to be ―messed with‖. It is necessary for you to bring him a report and you are very nervous about having to deal with him. You know that the vice president has the authority to accept or reject your report. This is part of his ________ power. a. reward b. coercive c. expert d. legitimate e. connection
d.legitimate
41. When Ingmar appeals to your loyalty and friendship when asking you to edit his major paper for him, he is a. making an inspirational appeal. b. using consultation tactics. c. using legitimating tactics. d. making a personal appeal. e. using ingratiation tactics.
d.making a personal appeal.
78. SCENARIO 8-3 Jerod is new to Xenon Corporation and wants to make a good impression on his coworkers and supervisor. He is on a three-month probationary status, and he knows that all of the office staff have a say in whether he is permanently hired. He agrees with the supervisor's opinion most of the time and is always doing nice things for him. Jerod makes sure that he associates with the ―right‖ people and is constantly complimenting others about their good work. Research on influence tactics would suggest Jerod should use ―softer‖ tactics first. Softer tactics rely on a. coercion b. impression management c. legitimate power d. personal power e. favours
d.personal power
40. When your organizational behaviour professor employs flattery prior to making a request she/he is a. making a personal appeal. b. making an inspirational appeal. c. using consultation tactics. d. using ingratiation tactics. e. using legitimating tactics.
d.using ingratiation tactics.
12. Whenever someone in the department has to write a report about how to market a new product, they typically have to get input from Jim. Because Jim deals with customers on a daily basis he knows what their concerns are and what they want from company services. What is Jim's dominant type of power? a. Coercive b. Reward c. Legitimate d. Referent e. Information
e.Information
9. Gino is a very popular boss and his staff will ―walk through walls‖ for him. What type of power does Gino possess? a. Reward b. Legitimate c. Expert d. Coercive e. Referent
e.Referent
63. Norma is notorious for doing favours for her co-workers so that they will ―owe‖ her favours later on when she really needs them. Norma is a. influencing people. b. using information. c. building coalitions. d. managing impressions. e. creating obligations.
e.creating obligations.
79. SCENARIO 8-3 Jerod is new to Xenon Corporation and wants to make a good impression on his coworkers and supervisor. He is on a three-month probationary status, and he knows that all of the office staff have a say in whether he is permanently hired. He agrees with the supervisor's opinion most of the time and is always doing nice things for him. Jerod makes sure that he associates with the ―right‖ people and is constantly complimenting others about their good work. Jerod was hired to a permanent position, and continues to be popular in the company. Jerod has a. persuasive personality. b. ingratiation. c. effective resources. d. political empowerment. e. political skill.
e.political skill.
42. When Akira, the team leader, says he has the authority and right to take extra supplies for his unit, he is a. making a personal appeal. b. making an inspirational appeal. c. using consultation tactics. d. using ingratiation tactics. e. using legitimacy tactics.
e.using legitimacy tactics.