While politics at the workplace is generally considered a negative trait, on occasions, it can lead to strategic purposes being served. Ultimately behind all types of office politics, the root cause is always either of scare resources, personal motivations or structural inequalities. As per business research carried out by the McGill University, politics is in a long line of forces such as norms, authority and expertise to ultimately achieve the goals. A matrix can be designed for organizational politics in which the four quadrants will be named after metaphors. On the x axis of the horizontal plane, source of power will be either informal or formal. The y axis on the vertical plane will consist of where the aforementioned political activity takes place- individual or organizational. The Woods are people who derive their power informally and cause politics at organizational level. The High Ground too conduct at organizational level but posses formal source of power. The Weeds and the Rocks both conduct politics at individual level but the former derives merely informal power while the latter has genuine formal position.

Source:https://hbr.org/2017/04/the-4-types-of-organizational-politics?

Uploaded Date: 16th May 2017