Application to organizational behavior concepts/theories - Book Report/Review Example

Relationship that exists in a given organization is greatly affected by the kind of influence by the parties involved. The ability of a leader to influence action measures the power of the leader. Similarly, the ability of a subordinate to influence work determines performance. Influence between different levels of people in an organization is very important as far as management of is concerned. For example, the manager cannot control his subordinates, and then it would difficult to exercise full authority.

Subordinates respond to orders according to the manager’s power of influence. The book ‘Intraorganizational Influence Tactics: Exploration in Getting One’s Way’ is about the power of influence in an organization. It is based on a study how 165 lower-level managers had their experience in influencing different levels around there system of work. There system of work consists of their superiors, co-workers and their subordinates. The study identifies the use of special tools to cause influence.

There are specific tactics that can be applied in an organization system to enhance interrelationship. The study in this book identifies 370 different tactics. In the study, a research was conducted using the 370 tactics. The tactics were organized into 58 items of a questionnaire. The respondents of the research were 225 bosses, 285 co-workers, and 244 subordinates. The book identifies eight dimensions of influence that were the outcomes of the research. The specific dimensions were ingratiation, sanctions, exchange, rationality, assertiveness, coalitions, upward appeals, and blocking.

The frequency at which the dimensions are used affects power. A confident manager should be assertive. Being sure with one’s point enables the subordinate to have full response to authority. Therefore, before a manager comes up with a decision, he should critically weigh if the decision is viable. This in turn gives him confidence to be assertive while presenting the decision to the subordinates. In order to affect influence, one should understand the objectives of the influence and the reasons behind it.

The aim of influence determines the mode in which action is done. The book How to win friends and influence people talks of non-criticism as a tool for successful relationship. This is a contradiction to this research as it talks techniques that include criticism. An assertive manager has to criticize poor performance in order to rectify the situation. Otherwise, this research agrees with the book in almost all perspectives. The book is based on arousing an eager want in the subject. The findings of the research are also based in dimensions that enhance building acceptability on the side of the concerned party.

Making coalition with another person is meant to instill cooperation in the other person hence influencing him. When coming up with a tool of influence, one should consider possibility of resistance. For that reason, strategic measures can be put in place to counteract resistance. The size of an organization also affects influence. Influencing a bigger organization requires proper mechanisms of mobilization. Another consideration in influencing action is the ionization of the organization. An organization with conflicting parties requires differentiated method of mobilization.

Ability to influence enhances cooperation and efficient running of an organization. Influence