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`Survival of the fittest' is becoming an issue of criticality,
since it is clear to anyone working in a formal organization
that organizations are highly political and power is the
name of the game. Power and politics are very closely related
to each other and determine the dynamics of the organizational
behavior as well as human performance. Political skills
largely deal with the acquisition of power. The available
literature has identified some specific political strategies
for acquiring power. This paper attempts to bring to light,
and add to the existing list of strategies, the boss-focused
strategies for acquiring power spelt out in Indian management
thought with specific reference to The Panchatantra, which,
though more than 5000 years old, seems to be relevant and
pragmatic even to this day.
"Over the years, groups, informal organizations, interactive
behavior, conflict and stress have received considerable
attention as important dynamics of organizational behavior,
power and politics have not" (Luthans, 2005, p. 142).
Internal political struggle, power struggle, in-fighting,
manipulation of people, etc., are found in the normal life
of all the formal organizations. Many define power very
diversely. Power is, "the probability that one actor
within a social relationship will be in a position to carry
out his own will despite resistance"(Weber, 1947, p.
152); "the ability to get things done despite the will
and resistance of others or the ability to `win' political
fights and outmaneuver the opposition" (Luthans, 2005,
p. 142); "the raw ability to mobilize resources to
accomplish some end with reference to any organized opposition"
(Krackhardt, 1990, p. 343); "a political ability to
influence behavior, to change the course of events, to overcome
resistance, and to get people to do things, that they would
not otherwise do" (Luthans, 2005, p. 142); "informal
authority" (Jeffrey Pfeffer, 1992, p. 30); "the
ability to get an individual or group to do something—to
get the person or group to change in some way" (Luthans,
2005, p. 143); "legitimate power" (Grimes, 1978,
p. 725); "the pursuit of individual particularistic
goals associated with group compliance" (Ibid., p.
726). Power is classified into: reward power, coercive power,
legitimate power, referent power, expert power, personal
power, etc. "How the dynamics of power are used and
what type of power is used can vitally affect human performance
and organizational goals" (Luthans, 2005, p. 422).
Power and politics are closely intertwined and influence
the performance and organizational goals. Organizational
politics is caused by the following factors: criticality,
scarcity and introduction of new resources, ambiguity and
long-range in decisions, ambiguity and complexity of goals,
complexity, technology, turbulent environment, reorganization,
and planned changes or unplanned changes, etc.
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