Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 12e (Robbins/Judge)
Chapter 13 Power and Politics
1) Which one of the following is not implied in the definition of power?
A) influence
B) potential
C) dependency
D) actualization
E) control
2) Power is a function of ________.
A) goal congruency
B) realization
C) inheritance
D) dependency
E) altruism
3) Which of the following statements is true regarding power?
A) A is said to have power over B if B controls something that A desires.
B) The greater A‘s dependence on B, the greater A‘s power in the relationship.
C) If A has the capacity to influence the behavior of B, then A is said to have power over B.
D) A can have power over B only if A is B‘s leader.
E) A can have power over B only when A and B have similar goals.
4) Which of the following terms best represents a point of difference between power and
leadership?
A) control
B) potential
C) cognitive dissonance
D) goal compatibility
E) negative affect
5) Leadership requires ________.
A) congruence between the goals of the leader and those being led
B) focus on tactics for gaining compliance
C) a dependency of those being led on the leader
D) followers who share behavioral traits with their leaders
E) a dependency of the leader on those being led
6) Leadership focuses on the ________.
A) importance of lateral and upward influence patterns
B) elimination of dependency in relationships
C) downward influence of a leader on his or her followers
D) ways to increase a leader’s following
E) resolution of conflicts among followers
7) Unlike leadership research, research on power tends to focus on ________.
A) individual styles in using power
B) strategies for goal attainment
C) tactics for gaining compliance
D) the administration of rewards
E) gaining dependency
8) The two general groupings of power are ________.
A) informational and personal
B) formal and informal
C) informal and legitimate
D) personal and formal
E) direct and indirect
9) ________ power is based on the fear of the negative results from failing to comply.
A) Legitimate
B) Coercive
C) Punitive
D) Referent
E) Abusive
10) At the organizational level, if Jenn can dismiss, suspend, or demote Polene, assuming Polene
values his or her job. Jenn has ________ power over Polene.
A) reward
B) legitimate
C) coercive
D) expert
E) referent
11) When a bank robber points a gun at a bank employee, his base of power is ________.
A) coercive
B) referent
C) positional
D) authoritative
E) expert
12) Larry can assign Oliver work activities that Oliver finds unpleasant. Larry possesses
________ power over Oliver.
A) reward
B) expert
C) legitimate
D) coercive
E) referent
13) The opposite of coercive power is ________ power.
A) referent
B) reward
C) legitimate
D) charismatic
E) expert
14) If your superior tells you that she will offer you a raise provided you perform additional
work beyond the requirements of your job, he/she is exercising ________ power.
A) legitimate
B) coercive
C) reward
D) personal
E) reflective
15) Legitimate power is based on ________ in the organization.
A) the ability to provide rewards
B) interpersonal trust
C) structural position
D) expert knowledge
E) respect and admiration
16) Which of the following types of power requires acceptance of the leader’s authority by
members of the organization?
A) referent
B) coercive
C) legitimate
D) expert
E) charismatic
17) The power that the College Dean has been granted by the University over the faculty is
referred to as ________ power.
A) academic
B) positional
C) legitimate
D) referent
E) charismatic
18) Which of the following statements is true regarding legitimate power?
A) Legitimate power develops out of admiration of another and a desire to be like that person.
B) Legitimate power comes from an individual’s unique characteristics.
C) Legitimate power is broader than the power to coerce and reward.
D) Celebrities who endorse products in commercials wield legitimate power over people.
E) Legitimate power is a type of personal power.
19) Which of the following types of power can be categorized as personal power?
A) coercive
B) legitimate
C) reward
D) referent
E) positional
20) Most of us follow our doctor’s advice because our doctor has ________ power.
A) legitimate
B) reward
C) referent
D) expert
E) coercive
21) ________ power is based on identification with a person who has desirable resources or
personal traits.
A) Coercive
B) Legitimate
C) Referent
D) Expert
E) Reward
22) John is good with numbers, but he wasn’t sure what he wanted to study in college. During his
senior year in high school he had a math teacher, Mr. Roury. John liked his teaching style and
got interested in numbers. He also joined the Math Club to spend more time with Mr. Roury. As
a result, John went on to study math and later engineering in college, and today tells his kids that
he owes his career to Mr. Roury. Mr. Roury exhibited ________ power over John.
A) positional
B) referent
C) coercive
D) reward
E) legitimate
23) Celebrities are paid millions of dollars to endorse products in commercials because the
advertisers believe the celebrities have ________ power.
A) coercive
B) referent
C) expert
D) legitimate
E) reward
24) Of the bases of power, research indicates that ________ power is most effective.
A) personal
B) coercive
C) reward
D) legitimate
E) positional
25) Which of the following types of power is most likely to be negatively related to employee
satisfaction and commitment?
A) expert power
B) reward power
C) legitimate power
D) coercive power
E) referent power
26) Which of the following power tactics involves increasing the target’s support by involving
him or her in decision making?
A) personal appeals
B) exchange
C) consultation
D) ingratiation
E) pressure
27) Power tactics are defined as ________.
A) approaches for influencing goal setting
B) techniques for translating power bases into specific action
C) strategies for gathering and maintaining support
D) characteristics of organizational structure
E) approaches for reducing conflict
28) Which of the following is not considered to be a power tactic?
A) consultation
B) substitution
C) rational persuasion
D) ingratiation
E) coalition
29) Joe comes to you with a request for funds for a project. He reminds you that company policy
supports his position. He is using the tactic of ________.
A) coalition
B) consultation
C) ingratiation
D) legitimacy
E) pressure
30) James approaches his supervisor with data and a logical presentation supporting his request
for additional personnel. Which of the following power tactics is used by James?
A) consultation
B) legitimacy
C) rational persuasion
D) inspirational appeal
E) exchange
31) Which of the following power tactics tends to backfire and is typically the least effective of
the nine power tactics?
A) coalitions
B) exchange
C) pressure
D) rational persuasion
E) consultation
32) The power tactic of using flattery and creating goodwill before making a request is known as
________.
A) ingratiation
B) consultation
C) inspirational appeal
D) motivational appeal
E) affective appeal
33) Vivian has not been handling one portion of her duties in a satisfactory manner. As a result,
her manager threatens to withhold her promotion. Which power tactic is being used by Vivian’s
manager?
A) exchange
B) ingratiation
C) pressure
D) personal appeals
E) inspirational appeals
34) Which of the following power tactics is more effective when the audience is highly
interested in the outcomes of a decision process?
A) ingratiation
B) consultation
C) personal appeals
D) exchange
E) pressure
35) When the power tactic of ________ works, it’s generally downward only.
A) exchange
B) coalition
C) ingratiation
D) pressure
E) legitimacy
36) Which of the following power tactics can be used most effectively for exerting lateral
influence?
A) legitimacy
B) inspirational appeal
C) coalition
D) ingratiation
E) pressure
37) Sally finds out that her salary is lower than her peers. She discusses this with her boss,
showing him how her performance has increased company revenues. As a result, she gets a
substantial raise. Which of the following power tactics did she use?
A) pressure
B) inspirational appeals
C) exchange
D) rational persuasion
E) legitimacy
38) ________ is the only power tactic that is effective for exerting upward influence, downward
influence, and lateral influence.
A) Legitimacy
B) Exchange
C) Ingratiation
D) Pressure
E) Rational persuasion
39) Which of the following influence tactics is considered a “harder” tactic that emphasizes
formal power and incurs greater costs and risks?
A) personal appeal
B) coalition
C) rational persuasion
D) inspirational appeal
E) consultation
40) People especially likely to comply with soft power tactics tend to ________.
A) be more action oriented
B) have greater desire for control
C) be extrinsically motivated
D) have low self-esteem
E) be more focused on getting along with others than with getting their own way
41) Which of the following skills best represents the ability of people to influence others to
enhance their own objectives?
A) analytical skill
B) critical thinking skill
C) political skill
D) reflective thinking skill
E) cognitive skill
42) Political behaviors usually ________.
A) lie outside of an individual’s specified job requirements
B) are counter-productive to individual goals
C) are seen only in large organizations
D) are frowned upon by organizational leaders
E) are expected as part of each job requirement
43) ________ occurs when people within organizations use whatever influence they can to taint
the facts to support their goals and interests.
A) Legitimate political behavior
B) Politicking
C) Illegitimate political behavior
D) Sabotage
E) Whistle-blowing
44) Employees exhibiting which of the following traits are more likely to engage in political
behavior?
A) lack of sensitivity to social cues
B) external locus of control
C) low need for power
D) Machiavellian personality
E) low self-monitoring
45) If an individual ________, then he is less likely to engage in illegitimate political behavior.
A) has invested a lot in the organization in terms of time and efforts
B) possesses a scarce skill or knowledge
C) has influential contacts outside the organization
D) does not expect any future benefits from the organization
E) has an external locus of control
46) Which of the following factors encourages politicking?
A) clear performance evaluation systems
B) role clarity
C) zero-sum reward allocation practices
D) increase in organizational resources
E) low pressures for performance
47) Which of the following organizational factors encourages political behavior?
A) use of objective criteria in the appraisal
B) using multiple outcomes to measure performance
C) allowing significant time to pass between the time of an action and its appraisal
D) avoiding the zero-sum approach for resource allocation
E) ensuring role clarity
48) To avoid politicking during performance evaluations, an organization should ________.
A) use subjective criteria
B) use democratic decision making
C) use a single outcome measure
D) use objective criteria
E) allow a long time lapse between the time of an action and its appraisal
49) Reactive and protective behaviors designed to avoid action, blame, or change are termed
________.
A) zero-sum approach
B) defensive behaviors
C) protectionism
D) impression management
E) shielding bias
50) Which of the following defensive behaviors is demonstrated by individuals who develop
explanations and documentation to lessen their responsibility for negative outcomes?
A) buffing
B) justifying
C) prevention
D) stretching
E) misrepresenting
51) Placing the blame for a negative outcome on external factors that are not entirely
blameworthy is known as ________.
A) scapegoating
B) buffing
C) stalling
D) buck passing
E) overconforming
52) Which of the following is an assertive impression management technique?
A) conformity
B) apologies
C) self-promotion
D) flattery
E) buffing
53) Which of the following impression management (IM) techniques is used by a sales manager
who says to her boss, “We failed to get the ad in the paper on time, but no one responds to those
ads anyway”?
A) flattery
B) enhancement
C) excuses
D) conformity
E) exemplification