Final Study Guide
BADM 312: Final Study Guide
Anything that is in the readings or that we covered in class is fair game for the exam. This should give you a general idea of where you may want to focus your study.
The problem of politics and power 1. Understand what power is (a function of…) a. A function of resources, dependencies, and alternatives 2. What are individual bases of power? a. Legitimate power (position) b. Expert Power c. Reward power d. Coercive power (ability to punish) e. Referent power (personality, who you are) 3. Where does power come from according to Kanter? (lines of support…) a. Formal Structure (position) b. Informal Structure 1. Lines of information 2. Lines of support c. Lines of supply 4. How do the sources of power differ under different theories of organizations (e.g. rational, natural, open systems)? a. Rational system i. Formal position, rules, ii. budgets, iii. contracts, iv. seniority b. Natural system i. Established personal relationships (informal position) ii. Reputations iii. Political savvy c. Open system i. Control over resources ii. Ability to innovate iii. Networks and access to information 5. How can you tell if a job is powerless? a. Working on nonstrategic tasks, low task variable b. Little interpersonal contact, no association with higher up c. Many rules, established routines and predecessors d. Need many approval e. Low rewards for good performance, little publicity and external exposure 6. What are specific things you can do to overcome powerlessness? a. Social exchange i. Find currencies that are actually valued by others b. Build relationships based upon trust and mutual obligation c. Need to see others as potential ally, not adversary d. Keep eye on
Anything that is in the readings or that we covered in class is fair game for the exam. This should give you a general idea of where you may want to focus your study.
The problem of politics and power 1. Understand what power is (a function of…) a. A function of resources, dependencies, and alternatives 2. What are individual bases of power? a. Legitimate power (position) b. Expert Power c. Reward power d. Coercive power (ability to punish) e. Referent power (personality, who you are) 3. Where does power come from according to Kanter? (lines of support…) a. Formal Structure (position) b. Informal Structure 1. Lines of information 2. Lines of support c. Lines of supply 4. How do the sources of power differ under different theories of organizations (e.g. rational, natural, open systems)? a. Rational system i. Formal position, rules, ii. budgets, iii. contracts, iv. seniority b. Natural system i. Established personal relationships (informal position) ii. Reputations iii. Political savvy c. Open system i. Control over resources ii. Ability to innovate iii. Networks and access to information 5. How can you tell if a job is powerless? a. Working on nonstrategic tasks, low task variable b. Little interpersonal contact, no association with higher up c. Many rules, established routines and predecessors d. Need many approval e. Low rewards for good performance, little publicity and external exposure 6. What are specific things you can do to overcome powerlessness? a. Social exchange i. Find currencies that are actually valued by others b. Build relationships based upon trust and mutual obligation c. Need to see others as potential ally, not adversary d. Keep eye on