Scouting the Ivory Tower: Exploring the Perceptions of Organizational Politics in Graduate Programs

Abstract: This study explores the perceptions of organizational politics among graduate students and faculty members, analyzing its impact on academic experiences and how individuals interpret their dynamics. Designed as an explanatory mixed-methods approach, this research aimed to quantify the differences in perceptions between graduate students and faculty, followed by qualitative interviews to provide deeper insight. Despite challenges to recruitment and data collection, this study contributes to a discussion on organizational politics in graduate programs and offers considerations for future approaches to studying this phenomenon in this context.