The Facts of Life
Video Case Study Final
As we bring our exploration of organizational politics to a close, it is my hope that you have gained pieces of knowledge as well as analytic skills to aid you as you move forward into your post-bachelor degree positions. This week you are asked to watch an episode of the television program The Facts of Life which has been uploaded to Blackboard. In this episode, entitled “All or Nothing”, you will see characters, roughly your age, navigating in a very political atmosphere and ultimately having to decide what is a successful outcome. Even though this show is now 36 years old, the topics and challenges faced in this program still happen every day on college campuses, perhaps even more than in 1984. To successfully complete this assignment, you do not need to familiarize yourself with the show or character: react only to what you see. (Those who had me for MGMT 3340 will remember these characters!) You should watch the entire episode before completing the assignment.
Please follow the formatting guidelines that we have used all semester regarding font, spacing, and pagination. Also, please use the terminology that you have learned over the semester and make certain that your response matches the question you were asked.
1. During her acceptance speech, Jo expressed a desire to really get things done. On which level of Political Action do you think that Jo began her term on the Board of Regents? Do believe the type of Political Action she fostered changed over the course of the conflict? If so, to which level? Please discuss one Political Tactic that Jo used correctly and one Political Tactic that Joe used incorrectly in her actions. (This response should be 150 to 200 words in length.)
2. When Blaire suggests to Jo that she use her position as regent to book the room in the student center, Jo begins of string of incidents in which she uses her legitimate power across campus. Do you feel that Jo was acting ethically and responsibly in using her legitimate power? Which of the other four types of power do you think Jo was also using? Why? Given the final outcome, do you see that this use of power resulted in commitment, compliance, and/or resistance? (This response should be 150 to 200 words in length.)
3. From what you observed of her behavior in this program, do you see that Jo was a temporary, certified, or effective a**hole? Why? Based on your decision, please discussed one influence tactic that she used appropriately and one she used inappropriately, taking care to relate the tactic back to the type of A**hole you think Jo is. (This response should be 150 to 200 words in length.)
4. As the program ends, Blaire reminds Jo that she still had the power to get the scholarship money back. Assume the role of Jo and please write a 300 to 400 word speech, taking responsibility for successes and mistakes that were made as well as suggesting a solution to the problem of how to use the donation. Please make certain to use terminology from the theory we have studied this summer.
Please remember to write essays, not bulleted lists in sentence form.
