The Political

Frame
By: Gabrielle Robinson
 Power, Conflict, and Coalition
Power is often at the heart of decision making.
Just think about it! When making decisions, we often try and pick
the one that will benefit us the most.
Example: Internships
We chose the places we did because they would make us more marketable
than most, when entering the workforce. Therefore, we have more power.
But where does politics come in?
NASA Challenger Political agendas became
Engineers recommend
canceling the launch of the
spaceship due to cold
NASA officials were under
pressure to gain support
from Congress
Launched the ship and it
exploded within seconds
What went wrong?
more important than human
life
NASA did not have much
credibility and the U.S. was
facing a large budget deficit
In order to prove
themselves, NASA launched
without considering
consequences
 Political Assumption
1. Organizations are diverse coalitions
2. Members of coalitions have differing values
3. Scarce resources and who they go to play a huge role
4. Scarce resources cause conflict
5. Negotiating is what causes goals to emerge
 Power Dynamics
Coalitions form when people of different
backgrounds need each other to reach a goal
Scarce resources make every situation more
intense
Power is distributed based on efficiency
 Rules for Decision Making
1. Quasi-resolution of 3. Problemistic Search
conflict First acceptable solution is
Breaking problems into the one that is went with
4. Organizational Learning
pieces and dispersing them Learning and setting goals
based on specialty through a process of trial
Example: A budget issue and error
would be given to the
finance department
2. Uncertainty Avoidance
Simplify problems to avoid
confusion
 Power and Decision Making
Authority is not the only form of power.
Partisans also hold lots of power.
Example: Parents are the authority, while their children are serve as
partisans.
Parents set rules, but children try to influence and change the parents
decision to best fit them.
Coalitions may be formed with siblings in order to strengthen their
argument and achieve their goal.
Example: Curfew
 Sources of Power
1. Position Power when a certain position gives one more power
2. Information and Expertise ability to solve problems brings power
3. Control of Rewards ability over certain rewards such as money and jobs
4. Coercive Power ability to punish
5. Alliances and Networks ability to work in a group
6. Access and Control of Agendas groups who have more of a voice within
an alliance
7. Framing ability to control the meaning of a situation
8. Personal Power Individuals personal power based on ones drive
 Power and Decision Making
Binding decisions can not Conflict

be made when multiple Conflict usually arises when

types of power are a decision is dealing with
present. scarce resources.
Types of Conflict:
The person with the power
Horizontal conflict
is only as strong as their between departments
constituents satisfaction. Vertical conflict between
levels
 Why we have politics?
Politics draws from many different values and beliefs allowing the
world to be diversified. Without it, organizations would not be
efficient or fair.
 Personal Case Study
The boy from one of the afterschool programs
Boy had been causing trouble all day and was kicked out.
Then he came back in the following shift.
In order to uphold position power and authority, we could not let
the boy in.
We also had to go about it in a political manner, meaning we had to
address all parties issues in order to not burn a bridge with the
program. We want everything to be fair and safe for all.