Organizational Behavior: Power & Politics

Which of the following best defines coercive poser?

• The ability to influence others due to admiration and respect

• Power based on access to key organizational knowledge

• Power that uses penalties or fear to control others

• Power derived from special skills or expertise

Legitimate power is derived from:

• A leader's personality and charisma

• A formal position of authority within the organization

• The ability to provide rewards

• Specialized knowledge in a particular field

Which is not a characteristic of referent power?

• Loyalty

• Respect

• Admiration

• Control over scarce resources

Dependency in power increases when a resource is:

• Plentiful and easily subsstituted

• Scarce and important

• Irrelevant to organizational goals

• Commonly available in the market

Which type of power arises when a leader can provide promotions, bonuses or recognition?

• Expert power

• Reward power

• Coercive power

• Referent power

Organizational politics is defined as:

• A formal job requirement involving leadership

• Activities outside one's formal role aimed at influencing decisions

• An official decision making process in organizations

• The system of rewards and punishments

Which statement best differentiates leadership from power?

• Leadership is only downward, while power can be upward and lateral

• Power requires compatibility with followers' goals

• Leadership does not depend on followers

• Power is less influential than leadership

Which of the following is an example of illegitimate political behavior?

• Persuading colleagues with evidence

• Secretly sabotaging a coworker's work to gain advantage

• Building alliances through collaboration

• Sharing useful information openly

Which base of power arises when a leader has specialized skills or knowledge?

• Expert power

• Coercive power

• Legitimate power

• Reward power

Which is a positive effect of organizational politics?

• Loss of trust among employees

• Motivation to work harder

• Spoiling workplace harmony

• Increased absenteeism