Empire-building
Empire-building is the practice of attempting to obtain greater power and authority within an organization.
Politics
In political science, empire-building refers to the tendency of countries and nations to coercively acquire resources, land, and economic influence outside their established borders in order to expand their size, power, and wealth. This expansion can be at the cost of those nations or people whose resources are taken away in order to enrich the conqueror.
Business
In business, empire-building is demonstrated when individuals or small groups attempt to gain control over key projects and initiatives to maximize job security and promotability. Project leadership hoards potential credit and prestige that the project can produce. Because this approach prevents other people in the organization from contributing meaningfully and alternative or competing projects to address the project's goals are disregarded regardless of their merit, the company suffers as a whole, projects fail, and the goals of the project are achieved only partially, inadequately, or not at all. This type of behavior is often supposed to be stopped by upper management, but it is nevertheless very common.
Organizations
In an organization, empire-building can also be demonstrated when an individual or small group eagerly and proactively suggests and pursues functions, activities, or projects of questionable value to enhance their legitimacy and perceived future value. Pursuit of these activities initially occurs at marginal cost, but later these activities are used to justify increased resource allocation, becoming part of the organizational status quo. This, in turn, increases the individual or group's overall command of resources and influence.
See also
References
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