Gender and influence tactics among university administrative employees

Abstract

Office politics or politicking is the option for those who wish to influence decisions and it is common to find organizational members or units engaging in influence tactics to protect or further their own interest, especially if their workplace is characterized by uncertainty, limited resources and lack of trust. Although organizational politics can work either for or against an organization, it is often considered dysfunctional because it has the potential to disrupt organizational efficiency and effectiveness. Hence, this study was conducted to examine the effects of gender and service group on influence tactics employed by administrative staff at UiTM Alor Gajah, Melaka, Malaysia. The statistical techniques used in this study are Descriptive Statistics, T-test, One-way ANOVA and Factor Analysis. The survey instrument utilized was adapted and replicated from the established measurements of Influence Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). The study revealed that the majority of the respondents used rational persuasion in influencing their superiors. There is no significant difference between gender and influence tactics and there is no significant difference between service groups and influence tactics. This study also revealed that the main reason given by employees in using influence tactics, specifically curry favoring, is for career promotion.