THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS ON ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS
ABSTRACT
Politics as a Universal phenomenon has become inherent and inevitable in any social arrangements. People from different lifestyles bring all sort of political tactics to organization so as to foster easy pursuance of their singular interest at the expense of others. Workplace politics occur when individuals or group deviate from ultimate goals and objectives of an organization and concentrate on their self interest with the aim of controlling the organization’s scarce resources so as to influence and control others. Therefore, this thesis is carried out to examine the role of organizational politics on organization effectiveness. To do this hypothesis shall be formulated and tested to justify the relationship between workplace politics and organization effectiveness. Furthermore, a structured questionnaire shall be administered to elicit response from targeted sample. Interview and questionnaire are the major data collection instruments in this thesis. Also chi square method of analysis will be employed in analyzing various data. Finally, recommendations shall be made on the subject matter. Recommendations will focus on how to manage office politics toward achieving organization effectiveness.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The concept “organizational politics” is a new area of focus in Human Resources Management. Politics is ever present in any plurality of human society. The endemic nature of politics in our organization and the large society has compelled many scholars to carry out research work in order to recommend how politics can be manage toward achieving the predetermined goals and objectives of an organization. One of the contributions to the study of politics is attributed to the work of a great Greek philosopher, Aristotle. According to him (Aristotle 384-322) viewed politics to mean the affairs of Greek city or state. In his book, man is a political animal who by interacting with another or more persons produces a relationship called politics. This there are two major types of politics state and organizational politics. But in this chapter and for the purpose of this research work, we shall concentrate mainly on the organizational politics Organizational politics or corporate office politics is an inescapable and intrinsic reality.
Organizational politics is so intricately woven with management system that relationship norms, processes, performance, and outcomes are largely influenced and affected by it. Office politics is an ever present and sometimes annoying feture of work life. Robert Kreitner and Angels Kinicki (2004): described organizational politics as self servicing and manipulative behavior of individual and groups to promote their self interest at the express of others, and sometime even at the expense of organization’s goals as well. Organizational politics manifest itself through struggle for resources, personal conflicts, competition for power and leadership and tactical influence executed by individuals and groups to attain power, building, personal stature, controlling access to information, not revealing real intents, building coalition e.t.c.
Laurie Mullins (1985) sees organization politics as involving acts of influence to enhance or protect the self-interest of individuals or groups. An emphasis on self - interest distinguished this form of social influence. Skillful and well timed politics at work place can help an organization in getting its point across, neutralize resistance to a key project, or get a choice job assignment. Bacharach and Lawler (1980) assented that political behavior becomes a negative force when self-interests erode or defect organizational interests. On this note, it is important to point out that organization politics is multifaceted in nature, that is, it could be positive or negative depending on low individuals or groups in an organization demonstrate there political behavior. This will take as to the role of organizational politics on organizational effectiveness.
Griffin (2002) describe organizational effectiveness as a concept that measures how effective an organization is interms, of its outcomes, competition, technology, communication e.t.c The concept of organizational effectiveness is multi- dimensional in nature organizational effectiveness is like a two sides of a coin. That is, what organization perceive as effectiveness at times contradict the perception of their external participants (stakeholders). This contradiction between the perception of the internal and external stakeholders makes organizational effectiveness a muiti- dimensional approach.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The followings are the problems deduced from this empirical study
1. Unequal treatment of employees as a result of negative workplace politics.
2. Formation of destructive cliques and coalitions within the organization
3. Organizational effectiveness is largely affected as self-interest tends to erode organizational interest.
4. Unjustifiable lay-off of skilled worker by management as a result of fear of loosing management position.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following constitute the research questions.
1. Does organizational politics helps individuals and groups in achieving their interest?
2. To what extent does workplace politics affected new employee?
3. is the relationship between organizational politics and organization effectiveness positives or negative?
4. To what extent does workplace politics led to caver advancement
5. The existence of organizational politics common on all organizations.
6. To what extent does organizational politics affect employee’s productivity?
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Having identified the various problems in this research work, the objectives shall be the following:
1. To examine how to manage organizational politics towards achieving organization effectiveness.
2. To examine the role of organizational politics on organization effectiveness
3. To examine the effect of negative workplace politics on employee’s and organization’s performance.
4. To contribute to the existing literature on organizational politics andorganization effectiveness
5. To recommend how constructive workplace politics can be practices for healthy work environment.
1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
For the purpose of this study, certain assumption would be made and tested in order to provide justifiable decisions.
Some of the hypotheses are as follows:
1.6 HYPOTHESES
H1: There is no significant relationship between organizational politics and employee’s productivity.
H2: There is no significant relationship between organizational politics and organization effectiveness.
H3: There is no significant relationship between organizational politics and career advancement.
H4: There is no significant relationship between organizational politic and employee’s potentials.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of this study is to provide additional and relevant information to the existing literatures in the area of organizational politics and effectiveness which will serve as a secondary source of data for future research work.
1.8 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
The scope of the study will cover all areas of organizational politics and it’s effect on organization effectiveness in one organization Also in the course of carrying out the study, the following challenges may likely slow down the outcome of the research work.
1.9 LIMITATIONS
1. Financial constraint
2. Paucity of relevant materials or information.
3. Delay of questionnaires by respondents
4. Time constraint
5. Delay in typing the project may also constitute a limitation.
