Chapter+9+Power,+Conflict,+Coalition

Chapter 9 - CARRIE and PEGGY

Carrie's notes on **POWER, CONFLICT and COALITION**

This chapter's major example is the Challenger tragedy.

- Interdependence, divergent interests, scarcity, and power relations spawn political activity.


 * Political Frame Assumptions**

1. Groups are by nature diverse. 2. Within groups there are enduring differences in values, beliefs, information, interests, and perceptions of reality. 3. Important decisions are based on who gets what in an environment of scarcity. 4. Scarce resources and enduring differences lead to conflict having a central role and power an important asset. 5. Decisions emerge from bargaining and negotiating among stakeholders for their own interests.


 * Power** - the potential ability to influence behavior, change the course of events, overcome resistance, and get people to do things they otherwise would not (pg. 196)

- there are usually a multiplicity of goals, many of which are in conflict - needs collide - //authority//: someone entitled to make decisions (need fear & respect of potential partisans) //partisan//: someone who exerts bottom-up pressure

Power Sources 1. Position 2. Control of rewards 3. Coercive 4. Knowledge/Expertise 5. Reputation 6. Personal 7. Alliance 8. Control of agenda 9. Control of meaning and symbols

-Overbounded system vs. Underbounded system //overbounded//: everything is tightly regulated, firm //underbounded//: power is diffuse, loosely controlled, open to conflict and power games

It challenges the status quo and is the root of change. - there is an emphasis on strategy and tactics - conflict usually happens at boundaries and interfaces between groups - need negotiation skills to develop alliances and cement deals to move forward with "wisdom and grace" without burning bridges or bloodshed - this frame sees organizations as a "Jungle in which the strong devour the weak." - the question is not whether or not there will be politics, it is what KIND of politics will it have? - it is often difficult to achieve "productive politics" (see page 209 quote)
 * Conflict** - normal and inevitable, not necessarily bad in the political frame