Politics at Work

This book takes as its starting point the premise that organizations are the dynamic coalition of individuals and groups competing and co-operating as they each pursue their various objectives. The most significant factor in organization life is power. There are few situations in which one is not both wielding power and yet subject to it. It is an element in the goals of individuals, and a determining factor in the means available to achieve these goals. The acceptance of the need to empower managers by encouraging a proactive disposition and teaching political skills is a core part of the transformation of management thinking, which also includes ideas such as "Customer Care", "Total Quality Management", "Strategic Thinking" and "Culture Management". Many of these 'new wave management' ideas are discussed here. The book is in three parts. In Part One ideas about organizations are reviewed and the political approach is explained. In Part Two the major themes of organizational behaviour, motivation, leadership, group dynamics and organizations cultures, structures and climates are presented and discussed in the light of the political perspective.
In Part Three, the political approach is developed to the point where the reader should be better able to understand and act in political situations. Bob Lee is currently an independent management consultant. He was formerly Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management Studies at Loughborough University of Technology. Peter Lawrence is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management Studies at Loughborough University of Technology.
 
This book takes as its starting point the premise that organizations are the dynamic coalition of individuals and groups competing and co-operating as they each pursue their various objectives. The most significant factor in organization life is power. There are few situations in which one is not both wielding power and yet subject to it. It is an element in the goals of individuals, and a determining factor in the means available to achieve these goals. The acceptance of the need to empower managers by encouraging a proactive disposition and teaching political skills is a core part of the transformation of management thinking, which also includes ideas such as "Customer Care", "Total Quality Management", "Strategic Thinking" and "Culture Management". Many of these 'new wave management' ideas are discussed here. The book is in three parts. In Part One ideas about organizations are reviewed and the political approach is explained. In Part Two the major themes of organizational behaviour, motivation, leadership, group dynamics and organizations cultures, structures and climates are presented and discussed in the light of the political perspective.
In Part Three, the political approach is developed to the point where the reader should be better able to understand and act in political situations. Bob Lee is currently an independent management consultant. He was formerly Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management Studies at Loughborough University of Technology. Peter Lawrence is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management Studies at Loughborough University of Technology.