Organizational Behaviour

This article discusses the concept of dependency in organizational behaviour, including co-dependency and the effect of contingency variables on power tactics and dependency. It also provides tips on how to reduce the misuse of power in the workplace.

Running head: Organizational Behaviour
Organizational Behaviour

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR 1
Table of Contents
Dependencies..............................................................................................................................................2
Effect of Contingency variables on Power Tactics and Dependency...........................................................2
Reduce the misuse of power........................................................................................................................3
References...................................................................................................................................................4

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR 2
Dependencies
In the context of dependency in organizational behavior, the least powerful person is
generally considered as the one who is dependent on another person. People generally like to
trait to one or another person instead of attributing that trait to the whole system. For example: If
an employee can be considered as very dependent t, a separation can also his subordinate that a
separation can also be revealed that how that subordinate is related to that employee. They can
also be considered as co-dependent to each other (Person Dependence in Organizations and
Steps to Manage or Reduce the Same, 2018).
Another example can be taken of a dominant boss showing disqualifying behavior
towards a submissive assistant. The latter may be supposed quite enduring and passive form of
dependency. But the day the assistant quits, the boss is often confused and quite lost as how to
replace the same relationship with another equivalent assistant.
Although dependency is primarily defined as a one-way process, there are many
indications at later stages in any kind of relationship which shows that it can also be a suitable
form of co-dependency considering all the people involved (Minds, 2018).
Effect of Contingency variables on Power Tactics and Dependency
Contingency variables are the factors that enforce an individual to become reactive
instead of proactive in nature due to fast changing requirements of the different organizational
situations. Such variables support the immediate decision in which power tactics and the
employees having such tactics are not able to use that power due to the different demand of the
situation. For example, if a manager wants to promote an employee who is very close to him and
gives his name to the management for promotion but performance of that employees go down
just before 2-3 months of appraisal. In this situation, he would not get promotion and the tactic of
personal appeal wound not work anymore.
Similarly, dependencies are also decided by the environmental situations. As soon as any
one of the parties change in the relation of dependency, contingency variables force an individual
to take the decision as per the new relation irrespective of the nature of the previous relationship
of dependency (Lee & Low, 2008).

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR 3
Reduce the misuse of power
In order to reduce the misuse of power, an organization can take below-mentioned measures:
 Promote a productive and fair work environment
 Application of interdependency theory instead of dependency theory
 Defining acceptable and unacceptable behavior and be clear about the behavior that
indicates misuse of power.
 Explain the importance and effect of accepting responsibility.
 There should be a rule of immediate termination in case of misuse of power results in any
type of physical abuse by an employee.
 Develop a strong support system to motivate the employees so that their work cannot be
affected due to any type of misuse of power.
 Build an open communication system in the organization so that employees can
communicate with the management in case of any employee is misusing his/her power
and creating hurdles in their work (Omisore & Nweke, 2014).

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR 4
References
Lee, K. L., & Low, G. T. (2008). Bases of Power and Subordinates’ Satisfaction with
Supervision - The Contingent Effect of Educational Orientation. International Education
Studies, 1(2), 3-13.
Minds, C. (2018). Power and Dependency. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from
http://changingminds.org/explanations/power/power_dependency.htm
Omisore, B. O., & Nweke, A. N. (2014). The Influence of Power and Politics in Organizations.
International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 4(7), 164-
183.
Person Dependence in Organizations and Steps to Manage or Reduce the Same. (2018).
Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/steps-to-
manage-person-dependence-in-organizations.htm