Learning Team Reflection Week 5

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Learning Team A Week 4 Reflection MGT/311 May 18, 2014 Professor: William Conde Week 4 in MGT/311 class was informative. We learned how behavior can influence organizational structure, organizational culture, and power and politics. Power and political behavior can play a big role within an organization, because they are “natural processes in any group or organization” (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 420). Power refers to a capability that an individual has to influence the behavior of another person, so they will act in accordance with what that individual wishes. According to Robbins and Judge (2011), the bases of power can be grouped into two, formal and personal power (p. 421). Formal power is an individual’s position within the organization and personal power is an individual unique characteristics. Formal power can be grouped as coercive power, fear of the negative results from failing to comply with a person in leadership; reward power, a person complies due to the positive benefits it may produce; and legitimate power, “formal authority to control and use organizational resources based on structural position in the organization” (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p.422). When it comes to formal power, a person that has a leadership position has the authority over their employees’ behavior. However, when it comes to personal power, such as expert power, then that individual has the power based on their expertise. There is also referent power, which is part of personal power, when someone desires to be like someone else’s. All five bases of power can be effective; however personal sources of power can be most effective, because it is based on employees’ satisfaction. Politics in an organization also has influence on behavior. Political behavior consists of activities outside the individual's formal role, but can
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