ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS AND IMPACT ON ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

ABSTRACT

Organizational Politics queues from the politics of daily experience as they desire to  acquire power over others. Power itself is the ability to influence others to do something whether or not the follower likes it. In the organization, it takes many forms, but not with the bicker that follow political officers, but with the scheme that lend them to the quest to outwit the incumbent occupant of a post. In practice, it looks very virulent, and so unattractive. However, to the enterprise it gives room for competition which midwives innovation. Such atmosphere cannot be said to be antagonistic. So, to an outsider, organizational politics is a dirty game, but to the company, it has inherent advantages. In this research, we have used both primary and secondary data. It is an evaluative research design with in-depth analysis on the modus operandi of organizational politics in both industrial and services sectors. Some of the recommendations are: Activities of employees should be made to contribute to goals harmonizing divergent views; management should not see organizational politics as threats to continuity of the business, but should do everything to address the complaints of employees; there should be laid down steps to employee’s discipline, and not based on sentiments.   Grapevine should not be discarded but harmonized for effectiveness; organizational structure should be made to contribute positively to organizational politics. In conclusion/findings, we adduce that since organizational politics is not entirely condemned, it should be channeled to such productive ends such that the organization stands to gain from its practice at any time.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Politics seeks to govern a group of people with rules or regulations. It is the whole system directed at acquiring power to rules. This process of acquiring power is affected by a combination of many processes: democracy, autocracy, military, nepotism, plutocracy, and aristocracy, anarchy.

Organizational  politics  earns  from  the  general  knowledge  of political culture in the outside society. It includes all that employee does to rise from one step to another that effect promotions and all the policies guiding  employee  rewards  and  discipline  right  from  the  day  he  is recruited to the day he leaves the organization.

According to Robbins (1990:64), it is a continuous process that sees employees develop personal tricks on reeling with employees, maneuvering his way to the top echelon of power. According to him, it is a game of intrigues meted against compatriots, demeaning them before higher authorities or favor.

This makes organizational polities seems as warlike phenomenon. But according to Otanka (1995:706), it is not all negative. In fact he notes that it has more positive contribution to the organization. He observes that it spurs every employee to be at alert to  contribution his best to the growth of the business for appreciation so glaring to be denied by the higher authorities and everybody within the organization.

According  to  Witlessly  (1936:19),  organizational  politics  is the game of who gets what, how, when and where in any enterprise. It tries to pitch  one  employee  against  another.  Organizational  politics  is  the network of interaction by which power is acquired, transferred and exercised.  Dalton (1966:15-21) reveals areas for political tension in any organization;

–         Long run vs short run politics and programme

–         Labour vs management interactions

–         Struggles for promotions

–         Distribution of rewards

–          Interaction  of  organization  doctrine.  From  these,  we  see  that organizational politics tries to enable employees to be dynamic and appreciate a particular position, do all in their arsenal to get at it. It is left for the incumbent occupant to desire to shift upwards or downwards. This he does by his character. It pitches an employee against the other in ideas and performance; labor against management in polities as well as in nature of politics and programmes of action and rewards.

1.2     STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Many perceive organizational politics as a bad omen for any enterprise. They do this in line with the nature of intrigues that largely follow them.     However organizational politics is inevitable whenever people converge and carry out a purpose. The quest for supremacy and outwits must surface. In a manufacturing as well as service concern, it can result to both positive and negative outcomes in an organization.

The pertinent question therefore, is how to articulate and channel organizational politics towards productive ends. The issue of the activities of   employees   and   management,   grapevine,   discipline,   promotion,

organizational   structure,   public   relations   determine   organizational politics.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

It seeks to attain the following objectives

1         To determine how the activities of employees and management encourage effective relations.

2         To determine the way activities of management and employees affect promotion in an enterprise

3         To   evaluate   the   effect   of   the   activities   of   employees   and management on organizational dispensary procedure.

4         To assess the extent activities of employees and management affect grapevine relations

5         To evaluate how organizational structure affects organizational politics in an organization.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Seeks to attain the following questions

1         How do the activities of employees and management encourage employee relations?

2         What effect have the activities of employees and managements on promotion in an enterprise?

3         To what extent do activities of employee and management affect disciplinary procedure in an organization?

4         What  could  be  concluded  on  the  activities  of  employee  and management on grapevine relations?

5        How does organizational structure affect organizational politics?

1.5     THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Organizational politics is an area that, some people dread, yet everybody is involved. A study on the topic is, therefore, desirable to explain  to  people  what  the  mechanisms  of  the  topic  are,  so  as  to appreciate.

Management of any organization would find this rather very interesting so as to find out how best to relate with the employees. The employees  themselves  would  discover  that  the  guidelines  of organizational politics as stipulated in this research are helpful in relating with one another. Researchers would be highly pleased with the work, because they will understand more, the working of the topic.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study covers the entire sphere of organizational politics. In other words, it is a global study, being not a case study research work. However, since universe can hardly ever be studied, we decide to select two   service   outfits   in   Enugu   for   a   closer   study,   for   inferential conclusions. The study will cover the period between 2000 – 2010.

1.7     LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Time and money spent on transportation were enormous. Before we  could  get  the people  to  attend  to  us,  two  weeks  had  gone.  This lengthened the period of conclusion of the project.

1.8     DEFINITION OF TERMS

1.8.1  Politics is the science of governance. It is activities involved in getting and using power in public life, and being capable to influence decision in a country or society.

1.8.2  Politics socialization is the act of encouraging people to obey, constituted authority without course.

1.8.3  Legitimacy is the act of acquiring power legally. It is also act of allowing and accepting things according to the law.

1.8.4 Synergy is the act of achieving goals through group action in an organization. Is also extra energy, power, success, achieved by two or more people or companies working together, instead of on their own.

1.8.5  Conveyor is a belt that carries materials from one stage to another in a factory.

1.8.6  Grapevine is unofficial source of information.

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