Organizational Politics Quiz Questions And Answers

Leaders of the future will face increasingly dynamic environments. This means that the conditions and circumstances in which leaders operate will be constantly changing and evolving. In order to be successful, leaders will need to be adaptable, flexible, and able to navigate through uncertainty and ambiguity. They will need to be able to anticipate and respond to changes in the business landscape, market trends, technological advancements, and societal shifts. The ability to thrive in dynamic environments will be crucial for leaders to drive innovation, make informed decisions, and effectively lead their teams towards achieving organizational goals.

Legitimate power refers to the authority that an individual has based on their position in the organization. This power comes from the formal hierarchy and the official role that the person holds. It is derived from the belief that the person has the right to exert influence and make decisions based on their position. Legitimate power is different from other sources of power such as reward power, network centrality, and resource control, as it is specifically tied to the individual's formal authority within the organization.

The correct answer is organizational and individual. These two types of power are commonly observed in various settings. Organizational power refers to the authority and influence that individuals hold within an organization, often derived from their position or role. Individual power, on the other hand, is based on personal qualities such as expertise, charisma, or personal connections. Both types of power play a significant role in shaping relationships and dynamics within an organization or any social group.

Leadership is a complex concept that is challenging to define precisely. However, most definitions of leadership commonly include the idea of "influence over others." This means that a leader is someone who has the ability to guide, inspire, and motivate others towards a common goal. While the number of subordinates, number of promotions, and size of paycheck may be factors associated with leadership in certain contexts, they do not encompass the essence of leadership itself. Therefore, the correct answer is "influence over others."

Managerial differentiation refers to the different thinking styles of managers in different functional parts of the organization. This means that managers in different departments or areas of the organization may have different approaches, perspectives, and strategies due to their specific roles and responsibilities. This can lead to diverse decision-making processes and problem-solving techniques within the organization, which can be beneficial in addressing various challenges and opportunities.

Lower status organizational members may use upward appeals as a strategy to influence higher status members when seeking organizational goals. Upward appeals involve presenting ideas, suggestions, or requests to higher-ups in the organization in order to gain their support or approval. This tactic allows lower status members to bypass middle management and directly communicate with those in positions of power, increasing their chances of achieving their desired outcomes.

The first step in the organizational development (OD) process is diagnosis. This involves identifying and analyzing the current state of the organization, including its strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. By conducting a thorough diagnosis, organizations can gain a clear understanding of their current situation and determine the specific areas that need to be addressed through the OD process. This step lays the foundation for developing effective interventions and strategies to bring about positive change and improve organizational performance.

Empowerment refers to giving individuals the authority and autonomy to make decisions and take actions on their own. It involves providing them with the confidence, involvement in decision-making, and increasing their autonomy. However, giving direct orders contradicts the concept of empowerment as it involves a top-down approach where individuals are told what to do rather than being given the freedom to make their own choices. Therefore, giving direct orders is not an example of empowerment.

Influence is usually exerted by using informal strategies such as persuasion or peer pressure. It is the ability to affect the thoughts, behavior, or actions of others. Power refers to the ability to control or direct others, while politics refers to the activities, actions, and policies used to gain and hold power in a government or organization. Therefore, influence is the correct answer as it best describes the use of informal strategies to persuade or exert pressure on others.

Effective leadership may depend on several factors, including the leader's personality, behavior, the situation they are in, and the assessment of the task at hand. The leader's personality traits, such as their ability to communicate, inspire, and make decisions, can greatly impact their effectiveness. Additionally, the leader's behavior, such as their ability to motivate and empower their team, can also play a crucial role. Furthermore, the situation in which the leader operates, including the organizational culture, resources, and external factors, can influence their effectiveness. Lastly, the leader's assessment of the task, including their understanding of the goals, challenges, and required skills, is vital for effective leadership. Therefore, all of these factors collectively contribute to effective leadership.

According to the text, the use of power in organizations is successful almost always.

QWL programs refer to initiatives implemented by organizations to enhance the overall well-being and satisfaction of their employees. These programs aim to create a positive work environment by considering employee needs and involving them in decision-making processes. By depending on employee participation and involvement, QWL programs empower employees, increase their job satisfaction, and ultimately contribute to their overall productivity and well-being.

Fiedler's Contingency Theory suggests that effective leadership is not solely determined by one factor, such as leadership style, personality, or the administration of reward and punishment. Instead, it proposes that effective leadership is a function of both the characteristics of the leader and the situation they are in. This means that the effectiveness of a leader depends on how well their characteristics match the demands of the situation they are leading in.

Functional political behavior refers to actions taken by individuals within a political system to achieve their own goals while also aligning with the goals of the organization or group they belong to. In this context, the correct answer is "organizational goals" because functional political behavior occurs when individuals consider and prioritize the goals of the organization they are a part of, in addition to their own individual goals. This behavior helps to ensure that individual actions are in line with the overall objectives and interests of the organization, leading to more effective and successful outcomes.

Behavioral style theory would stress the training of managers because it focuses on the belief that effective leadership can be learned and developed through training and practice. This theory emphasizes the importance of specific behaviors and actions that managers should exhibit in order to be successful. By providing training programs and opportunities for managers to learn and improve their skills, organizations can enhance their leadership effectiveness and overall performance.

Rewarding political skill is not a way to deal with organizational politics because it encourages and reinforces political behavior, which can be detrimental to the overall functioning and effectiveness of an organization. Instead, organizations should focus on removing ambiguity and uncertainty, providing slack resources, and creating a positive organizational climate to minimize the negative impact of politics and promote a more transparent and collaborative work environment.

An emergent leader is the one who naturally emerges as a leader within a group based on their personal qualities and abilities. They gain support and respect from their followers due to their strong leadership skills, charisma, and ability to inspire others. Unlike an appointed leader, who is chosen by authority figures, an emergent leader earns their position through their own efforts and the recognition of their peers. Therefore, it is likely that an emergent leader will be supported by their followers as they have already proven their leadership capabilities.

Employee selection is not part of the socialization process. Socialization refers to the process through which individuals learn and internalize the values, norms, and behaviors of a particular society or group. It involves the acquisition of skills, feedback, and positive interactions with superiors to become a fully functioning member of the organization. However, employee selection is a separate process that involves recruiting and choosing individuals who possess the necessary qualifications and skills to perform a particular job. It occurs before the socialization process begins and is not directly related to the socialization of an individual within an organization.

The Path-Goal Theory suggests that effective leaders increase their subordinates' perceptions that effort leads to performance. This theory emphasizes the leader's role in clarifying goals, providing guidance and support, and removing obstacles to help subordinates achieve their goals. By doing so, leaders enhance their subordinates' beliefs that their efforts will lead to successful performance outcomes.

The method based on a decision tree is Vroom-Yetton. The Vroom-Yetton model is a decision-making model that helps leaders determine the appropriate level of employee participation when making decisions. It provides a set of decision rules that consider the importance of the decision, the leader's expertise, and the level of employee commitment to the decision. By using a decision tree, the Vroom-Yetton model guides leaders through a series of questions to determine the most effective decision-making method for a given situation.

In organizations, symbols of power are often used to denote authority and influence. Office size, difficulty to contact, club memberships, and even having a private jet can all be seen as symbols of power. However, job title is not necessarily a symbol of power in itself. While certain job titles may come with inherent authority and influence, the job title alone does not always indicate a person's level of power within an organization.

Trait theory is the correct answer because it focuses on the personal qualities and characteristics of individuals as the basis for effective leadership. This theory suggests that certain traits, such as intelligence, confidence, and assertiveness, are innate and can be used to identify and select individuals who have the potential to be successful managers. Therefore, a leadership theory that emphasizes the selection of managers would align with the principles of trait theory.

Open systems theory is an organizational theory that includes the concept of transformation of input into products. This theory views organizations as open systems that interact with their environment, taking in inputs such as resources, information, and energy, and transforming them into outputs or products. This transformation process is a key aspect of open systems theory, which emphasizes the dynamic nature of organizations and their ability to adapt and respond to changes in their environment. Bureaucracy, management theory, and technology theory do not specifically focus on this concept of transformation, making open systems theory the correct answer.

House's Path-Goal Theory draws most heavily from the valence-instrumentality-expectancy (VIE) theory of motivation. This theory suggests that leaders should clarify the path to the desired goals, provide the necessary support and resources, and remove any obstacles that may hinder the achievement of those goals. It emphasizes the importance of matching the leader's style to the characteristics of the followers and the task at hand, taking into consideration their expectations and motivations. By doing so, leaders can increase the valence (value) of the rewards, enhance the instrumentality (belief that effort leads to performance), and strengthen the expectancy (belief that performance leads to desired outcomes) for their followers, thus motivating them to perform at their best.

A contingent view of power suggests that the use of power varies depending on different factors. In this case, the answer "organizational age" implies that the use of power within an organization is influenced by how long the organization has been established. This means that the power dynamics and strategies employed within a young organization may differ from those within an older organization. The age of an organization can impact its culture, structure, and decision-making processes, which in turn affect how power is wielded and distributed.