Perception of organisational politics and workplace innovation: an investigation of the perceptions and behaviour of staff in an Australian IT services organisation

This thesis investigates the relationship between organisational politics and innovation in a divisional business unit within an Australian information technology services organisation. It also investigates the use of political tactics within the organisation, the emotional effect of the use of political tactics on individuals, and their rationale for the use of political tactics by supervisors and peers. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of open and closed questions was used in this study. A total of 169 useable responses from employees at all levels of the divisional business unit were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Six scales were included in the analysis, including dispositional, perceptual and behavioural variables. Demographic data were also included in the analysis. This study contributes to organisation studies literature by extending existing knowledge about organisational politics. Specifically, the results show that the greater the amount of organisational politics perceived by employees the lower the level of perceived organisational innovation (r = .520). The findings of this study support previously researched relationships between an individual’s locus of control and Machiavellianism and their perception of organisational politics. In addition, locus of control and perception of workplace innovation were found to be related. This study found that the Perception of Politics Scale (POPS) is a valid operationalisation of the perception of organisational politics concept within the Australian context.