The Impact of Structure and Process on Organizational Politics during the Technological Innovation Process : A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

In this paper, Prasad and Rubenstein hypothesize relationships between the formulation and implementation dimensions of general innovation related organizational politics (GIOP) and formalization, centralization, complexity, use of matrix structures, departmental power differentials and management's propensity for risk. According to them, if the organization's structure is complex, excessively organic or mechanistic and • interdepartmental power differentials and management's risk propensity skewed, then GIOP is high.

Systematic variation in organizationally-shared cognitive prototypes of effective leadership based on organizational form

“…One common approach to assessing organizations on the mechanistic-organic continuum is to assess such structural aspects of the organization as the average span of control, the degree of formalization of rules, and/or the degree of centralization (e.g., Prasad & Rubenstein, 1993;Shrader, Lincoln, & Hoffman, 1989;Tannenbaum & Dupuree-Bruno, 1994). However, to focus solely on the structure of the organization is to ignore the perceptions of the members of the organization.…”

A political perspective on product development schedules : evidence from software

“…Similarly, some suggest that Bent and Humphreys (1996) proposed the use of the comprehensive processes o f Total Quality Management to avoid the politics that lead "90 percent o f project managers to identified conflicting interests and struggles with department managers" as a major concern. Prasad (1986Prasad ( , 1993aPrasad ( , 1993b seems conflicted as to his own position on whether organizational politics is an unnecessary evil of organizational life to be minimized or an acceptable avenue for achieving legitimate goals. Prasad (1986) offers morally neutral definitions for power and organizational politics.…”

“…He (Prasad, 1993b) recognizes both positive and negative impacts of organizational politics on the individual and the project team. However, in this context positive and negative are reflections of the success or failure of the individual or team at "playing the (organizational politics) game" and not an ethical evaluation of its application.…”

“…While recognizing the possibility that organizational politics can have negative and/or positive consequences for the individual, Prasad (1993b) does not truly recognize that a significant amount of organizational politics is focused on "getting the job done". To paraphrase Harrison (1992) the underhandedness of politics represents only the dark (negative) side, while the lighter (positive) side sees politics used "for the benefit of others, the organization and the common good".…”