Organizational Power and Influence
45-891 (Section A)
Mini 1, Fall 2009
Tepper School of Business
Carnegie Mellon University
Instructor:
Mark Fichman, Ph.D. Associate Professor of
Organizational Behavior and Theory
Room:
151 Tepper School
Class Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, 3:30-5:20 PM
Office:
325 Tepper
email:
mf4f@cmu.edu
phone:
412-268-3699 (office),
412-874-2893 (cell)
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great
men are almost always bad men.- Lord Acton
He who has the gold rules - The New Golden Rule according to Jeff
Pfeffer.
Power is the opportunity to build, to create, to nudge history in a
different direction. - Richard Nixon
A whimsical observer once commented that those who love laws and
sausages should not watch either being made - Richard Nixon
Karl Rove (discussing the 2003 Iraq war)... said that ultimately the war
would be measured by the outcome. “Everything will be measured by
results.” Rove had said. “The victor is always right. History ascribes
to the victor qualities that may or may not actually have been there.
And similarly to the defeated.” - Bob Woodward in Bush at War (pp.
337-338)
Course Overview and Objectives
Power is the ability to get things done. It is fundamental for taking
action in organizations and in society. Organizations are political institutions,
and effectively mobilizing resources to get things done is essential if a manager is to
be effective in their job.
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In this course we want to understand what power is, how it is acquired and how to
use it to accomplish personal and organizational goals. Managers and members of
organizations have different interests and resources. They are interdependent. When
interdependent organizational actors with different interests need to attain certain
goals, this can not be done without working with and through others. Consequently,
we need to find ways to influence others to act in ways which they might not choose
to do otherwise. This creates political pressures and processes requiring political
action, creating power dynamics in organizations.
In this course, we want to explore organizational power and politics to help you to
learn to more effectively manage in an organization. We will examine several issues,
including:
∙ What is power?
∙ Who gets power and how do they hold on to it?
∙ How do you feel about power? What is the role of personality?
∙ What factors determine how power is distributed in an organization?
∙ Diagnosing political processes in an organization?
∙ Developing influence in organizations
∙ The impact on us of power and powerlessness
Readings and Course Materials
There is one book for the course, Managing with Power: Politics and Influence in
Organizations by Jeffrey Pfeffer. It is available in the bookstore. There is a course
packet with cases and several readings. We will also be reading The Prince by Niccolò
Machiavelli. It will be distributed to you.
Class Work Requirements
You are expected to do the assigned reading for each class and come to class prepared
to discuss the reading and participate in class activities. Since much of the class will
involve discussion and exercises, participation is essential to the success of the class
for both you and your colleagues. If you can not come to class, please notify me in
advance. There are several assignments during the course. All assignments will be
done in a group of 5-6 members. You will form your own work group.
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(1) Case Analysis - There are several case assignments. In the syllabus, if something to be handed in, this is noted. Write a group analysis for submission for
four and only four of the assigned cases. For those you do not write, you are
expected to be prepared to discuss the case in class. Questions to help you
with the cases can be found on Blackboard or hyperlinked in this document.
(2) Group Project - A group project is due at the end of the mini semester. The project is to identify and analyze a situation involving power in an
organization. In particular, you should develop an analysis of the political
dynamics of the situation. You should examine patterns of interdependence,
motives and interests of key actors, and how power and political processes
affected events and outcomes. You can analyze a situation existing now in the
field using interviews, direct observation and other appropriate methods, or
use documentary evidence from news accounts, books, journal and magazine
articles. You want to find a situation where there are interesting political
processes unfolding. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point
of view) there is no shortage of such situations to examine
(a) You will provide me with a one page summary of the project by the end of
the third week of class. This allows me to check for the appropriateness
of the topic and avoid two or more groups duplicating their efforts.
(b) You will hand in the written report on the date specified in the class
schedule.
(c) The group project will be presented in class on the date specified in the
class schedule.
All written work should be submitted via Blackboard.
All class work must adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity. The
statement of the relevant policies on academic integrity at CMU can be found at
http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/student-life/acad int/index.html Academic Integrity at CMU.
Grading and Evaluation
Grading is based on the following components:
Assignment
Grade Percentage
Case Analysis (any 4 of 6 cases) 50 %
Group Project
30%
Class Participation
20 %
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Communications and Office Hours
I will have office hours from 10:30-12:30 on Wednesday mornings. I can meet with
you by appointment if you can not come by during office hours. Announcements
will come to you via e-mail and Blackboard. The syllabus, announcements,
assignments and other course information are available on Blackboard.
You can use e-mail for communication with me and with other class members. Of
course, phone calls and visits are welcome.
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Class Schedule
Date Topic
Reading
Assignment1
8/25 Introduction and
Orientation
None
Personality and
Power questionnaire
(also on Blackboard)
8/27 Influence
Pfeffer Ch. 1, 2, 11
9/1
Life in the
Middle
9/3
Diagnosing Power
Dynamics in an
Organization
9/8
Psychology of Power
In Class Exercise
Case: Donna
Dubinsky (A)
Pfeffer, Ch. 3, 4
9/10 Personality and Power Power is the
Great Motivator by
McClelland & Burnham
Case: Keith
Ferrazzi
Pfeffer, Ch. 5,6
9/15 Men, Women and
Power
He Dickers, She
Doesn’t by Alan Krueger
Scaring the Boys by Babcock
& Laschever
Pfeffer, Ch. 9
1All
assignment related information will be on Blackboard and/or hyperlinked to this document.
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Date Topic
Reading
Assignment
9/17 Machiavelli
The Prince by
Niccolò Machiavelli
The Price of Power
by David Grann
Submit one
page group project
description
9/22 The Fall of
Lehman Brothers,
Take 1
Pfeffer, Ch. 16, 17
Case: Power,
Greed and Glory . . .
The Fall of Lehman Brothers . . .
9/24 Working the System A Different Understanding
with the President
A Strong Push from
Backstage
12 O’clock High (movie
to be distributed.
For discussion on 10/1.
Leaving No Tracks
Educating Paul O’Neill
9/29 Changing of the
Guard, or Being in
Right Place at the
Right Time
10/1 Turning around
an Organization
Case: The
Reckoning.
Pfeffer Ch. 10,12,15
The Tough Work of
Turning Around a Team
by Bill Parcells
Case: Paul Levy:
Taking Charge of the
Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center (A)
Discuss 12 O’Clock High
10/6 Presentations
Present Group Project
10/8 Presentations
Present Group Project