Designing and explaining the political savvy model of middle managers of the state based on the method of grounded theory generation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran.

2 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran.

Abstract

Objective: Hierarchical promotion, organizational acceptance, and achieving reputation in Public organizations are becoming increasingly difficult due to structural barriers, process-oriented, ambiguous organizational goals, and the lack of proper metrics for Promotability. However, successful managers and those with special political savvy achieve their goals by using political networking and managing key stakeholders, accumulating communicational capital, and properly analyzing the political arena of the organization. The present study aims to design a model of political savvy of middle managers of the state.
Methods: The research method is qualitative and based on the method of grounded theory generation. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and data analysis was performed by Strauss and Corbin method and paradigm model. Sampling was done in a theoretical way using purposeful (judgmental) and snowball (chain) techniques, based on which 19 interviews were conducted with former and current middle managers of Public organizations.
Results: The results of analyzing the data obtained from the interviews during the open, axial and selective coding process and using Maxqda 2018 software led to the creation of a political savvy model of middle managers of the state based on the method of grounded theory generation including 6 dimensions and 20 concepts.
Conclusion: By understanding and identifying causal conditions of political savvy such as political knowledge and skills and learning tactics of influence and improving the context conditions, middle managers of the state can devise strategies to achieve an acceptable level of political savvy by considering intervening conditions such as structural barriers and process-oriented.

Keywords

Bacharach, S. B. (2005). Get them on your side. Adams Media Corporation.
Biddanda, H., Shriberg, D., Ruecker, D., Conway, D. & Montesinos, G. (2018). Navigating the waters of social justice: Strategies from veteran school psychologists. Contemporary School Psychology, 23(4), 379-387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-018-0187-9
Blickle, G., Scheutte, N.,&Wihler, A. (2018). Political will, work values, and objective career success: A novel approach–The Trait-Reputation-Identity Model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 107, 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.03.002
Brandon, R., & Seldman, M. (2004). Survival of the savvy: High-integrity political tactics for career and company success. Simon & Schuster.
Buchanan, D., & Badham, R. (2020). Power, politics, and organizational change. SAGE Publications.
Chang, C.-H., Rosen, C. C., & Levy, P. E. (2009). The relationship between perceptions of organizational politics and employee attitudes, strain, and behavior: A meta-analytic examination. Academy of Management Journal, 52(4), 779–801. 
Cheema, I. (2010). Leaders' political skill, organizational politics savvy, and change in organizations--a constellation. PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e673512012-021
Clarke, J. (2012).  Dealing with people, power and politics at work. Kogan Page Publishers. Conference in Adult, Continuing, and Community Education. University of Missouri, St. Louis,MO.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Demir, T., Reddick, C. G., & Ponomariov, B. (2019). The determinants of U.S. city manager’s sense of power. Public Organization Review, 20(2), 231-247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-018-00432-2
Ferris, G. R., Treadway, D. C., Kolodinsky, R. W., Hochwarter, W. A., Kacmar, C. J., Douglas, C. & Frink, D. D. (2005). Development and validation of the political skill inventory. Journal of Management, 31(1), 126-152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206304271386
Granger, S., Neville, L., & Turner, N. (2019). Political knowledge at work: Conceptualization, measurement, and applications to follower proactivity. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 93(2), 431-471. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12293
Hartley, J., Sancino, A., Bennister, M., & Resodihardjo, S. L. (2019). Leadership for public value: Political astuteness as a conceptual link. Public Administration, 97(2), 239-249. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12597
Hochwarter, W. A., Perrewé, P. L., Ferris, G. R., & Guercio, R. (1999). Commitment as an antidote to the tension and turnover consequences of organizational politics. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 55(3), 277–297. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1999.1684
Hurd, I. (2013). International organizations: Politics, law, practice. Cambridge University Press.
Jaeger, Paul T. and Sarin, Lindsay C. (2016) "All Librarianship is Political: Educate Accordingly,"The Political Librarian: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 8. Available at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/pollib/vol2/iss1/8
Liu, Y. (2019). Research handbook of international talent management. Edward Elgar Publishing.
McFadzean, E.(2007). Developing a Proposal: A Nine Step Process.
Moore, E. (2009). Influence of large-scale organization structures on leadership behaviors. 2009 Agile Conference. https://doi.org/10.1109/agile.2009.14
Nalbandian, J., O'Neill, R., Michael Wilkes, J., & Kaufman, A. (2013). Contemporary challenges in local government: Evolving roles and responsibilities, structures, and processes. Public Administration Review, 73(4), 567-574. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12059 
Park, J., & Lee, K. (2020). Organizational politics, work attitudes and performance: The moderating role of age and public service motivation (PSM). International Review of Public Administration, 25(2), 85-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/12294659.2020.1750755
Qian, X., Li, Q., Song, Y., & Wang, J. (2019). Temporary employment and voice behavior: The role of self‐efficacy and political savvy. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12232
Riggio, R. E. (2013). Leader interpersonal and influence skills. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203760536 
Stevens, T. (2016). Political savvy. Management and Leadership Skills for Medical Faculty, 171-181. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27781-3_17
Strauss, A, & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, London: Sage.
Truty D (2006) Political savvy: elusive and vital. Paper presented in Midwest Research-to-Practice
Viera, A. J., & Kramer, R. (2020). Management and leadership skills for medical faculty and healthcare executives: A practical handbook. Springer Nature. 
Vigoda-Gadot, E., & Drory, A. (2006). Handbook of organizational politics. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Yang, F., & Zhang, L. (2014). An examination of when and how leader political skill influences team performance in China: A cultural value perspective. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 17(4), 286-295. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12079

References


Bacharach, S. B. (2005). Get them on your side. Adams Media Corporation.
Biddanda, H., Shriberg, D., Ruecker, D., Conway, D. & Montesinos, G. (2018). Navigating the waters of social justice: Strategies from veteran school psychologists. Contemporary School Psychology, 23(4), 379-387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-018-0187-9
Blickle, G., Scheutte, N.,&Wihler, A. (2018). Political will, work values, and objective career success: A novel approach–The Trait-Reputation-Identity Model. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 107, 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.03.002
Brandon, R., & Seldman, M. (2004). Survival of the savvy: High-integrity political tactics for career and company success. Simon & Schuster.
Buchanan, D., & Badham, R. (2020). Power, politics, and organizational change. SAGE Publications.
Chang, C.-H., Rosen, C. C., & Levy, P. E. (2009). The relationship between perceptions of organizational politics and employee attitudes, strain, and behavior: A meta-analytic examination. Academy of Management Journal, 52(4), 779–801. 
Cheema, I. (2010). Leaders' political skill, organizational politics savvy, and change in organizations--a constellation. PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e673512012-021
Clarke, J. (2012).  Dealing with people, power and politics at work. Kogan Page Publishers. Conference in Adult, Continuing, and Community Education. University of Missouri, St. Louis,MO.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Demir, T., Reddick, C. G., & Ponomariov, B. (2019). The determinants of U.S. city manager’s sense of power. Public Organization Review, 20(2), 231-247. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-018-00432-2
Ferris, G. R., Treadway, D. C., Kolodinsky, R. W., Hochwarter, W. A., Kacmar, C. J., Douglas, C. & Frink, D. D. (2005). Development and validation of the political skill inventory. Journal of Management, 31(1), 126-152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206304271386
Granger, S., Neville, L., & Turner, N. (2019). Political knowledge at work: Conceptualization, measurement, and applications to follower proactivity. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 93(2), 431-471. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12293
Hartley, J., Sancino, A., Bennister, M., & Resodihardjo, S. L. (2019). Leadership for public value: Political astuteness as a conceptual link. Public Administration, 97(2), 239-249. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12597
Hochwarter, W. A., Perrewé, P. L., Ferris, G. R., & Guercio, R. (1999). Commitment as an antidote to the tension and turnover consequences of organizational politics. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 55(3), 277–297. https://doi.org/10.1006/jvbe.1999.1684
Hurd, I. (2013). International organizations: Politics, law, practice. Cambridge University Press.
Jaeger, Paul T. and Sarin, Lindsay C. (2016) "All Librarianship is Political: Educate Accordingly,"The Political Librarian: Vol. 2: Iss. 1, Article 8. Available at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/pollib/vol2/iss1/8
Liu, Y. (2019). Research handbook of international talent management. Edward Elgar Publishing.
McFadzean, E.(2007). Developing a Proposal: A Nine Step Process.
Moore, E. (2009). Influence of large-scale organization structures on leadership behaviors. 2009 Agile Conference. https://doi.org/10.1109/agile.2009.14
Nalbandian, J., O'Neill, R., Michael Wilkes, J., & Kaufman, A. (2013). Contemporary challenges in local government: Evolving roles and responsibilities, structures, and processes. Public Administration Review, 73(4), 567-574. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12059 
Park, J., & Lee, K. (2020). Organizational politics, work attitudes and performance: The moderating role of age and public service motivation (PSM). International Review of Public Administration, 25(2), 85-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/12294659.2020.1750755
Qian, X., Li, Q., Song, Y., & Wang, J. (2019). Temporary employment and voice behavior: The role of self‐efficacy and political savvy. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12232
Riggio, R. E. (2013). Leader interpersonal and influence skills. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203760536 
Stevens, T. (2016). Political savvy. Management and Leadership Skills for Medical Faculty, 171-181. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27781-3_17
Strauss, A, & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques, London: Sage.
Truty D (2006) Political savvy: elusive and vital. Paper presented in Midwest Research-to-Practice
Viera, A. J., & Kramer, R. (2020). Management and leadership skills for medical faculty and healthcare executives: A practical handbook. Springer Nature. 
Vigoda-Gadot, E., & Drory, A. (2006). Handbook of organizational politics. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Yang, F., & Zhang, L. (2014). An examination of when and how leader political skill influences team performance in China: A cultural value perspective. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 17(4), 286-295. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12079
Journal of Public Administration
Volume 12, Issue 4
2020
Pages 655-673

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