Deck 10: Conflict and Negotiation

Question 1

In the conflict process, does "Stage 2: Awareness" occur simultaneously for both involved parties? Explain and justify your answer.

Answer 1

This stage can happen at the same time for both involved parties but not necessarily. In a budgetary meeting, this stage is likely to occur at the same time for the involved parties when realizing there aren't enough resources for all departments' needs to be met. However, if the same budget information is distributed via e-mail instead of a meeting, there may be days between one party and the other realizing they are in conflict, and thus, Stage 2 can occur asynchronously.

Question 2

Before you attempt to use any interpersonal influence technique at work or in your personal life, you should ________.

A) Take a conflict management course
B) Have training in counseling or related field
C) Always involve a neutral third party
D) None of the above

Answer 2

D
Explanation:D) You don't need special training to use interpersonal techniques to manage conflict, and in fact, you may do this on a rather frequent basis in your daily or work life. Whether or not it is formal or informal conflict management, the goal is the same and though training will provide more strategies and refine skills, it is not necessary prior to using these techniques.

Question 3

The number of organizations using a team structure is increasing and more individuals are working in close proximity and working together on various projects. Given this new organizational structure, which type of conflict is likely to increase compared to the individual work structure of the past?

A) Process conflict
B) Task conflict
C) Interpersonal conflict
D) None of the above

Answer 3

C
Explanation:C) The team structure puts individuals in much closer working proximity to one another and increases their interdependence. This increases the likelihood for interpersonal conflicts based on work and non-work related aspects of the individuals involved.

Question 4

Removing the absolute need to resolve the focal conflict improves the negotiation ability for that party. This is known as the ________.

A) Prepared negotiation strategy
B) Best alternative to a negotiated agreement
C) Strategic planning
D) Outcome identification

Question 5

All conflict should be approached with the ultimate goal of ________.

A) Eliminating conflict from the workplace completely
B) Reducing interpersonal conflict but encouraging task conflict
C) Only having conflict that ends well
D) Creating functional conflict while minimizing dysfunctional conflict

Question 6

All of the following are elements that negotiators should clarify and understand prior to beginning the negotiation except ________.

A) Positions
B) Issues
C) Timing
D) Interests

Question 7

Process conflict by definition affects the work process and results negatively. Does that mean that this type of conflict should be limited as much as possible in organizations? Explain and justify your answer.

Question 8

What is the preferred medium of communication for negotiations?

A) Online chat
B) Text
C) Face-to-face
D) Email

Question 9

A graduate in his first professional job is attempting to climb the ladder quickly without consideration for others' perspectives or feelings. He won't tolerate anyone getting in his way. Based on this employee's attitude, what type of conflict style will he likely use in the workplace?

A) Competing
B) Collaborating
C) Compromising
D) Accommodating

Question 10

Negotiation is ________ to resolve conflicts.

A) The worst way
B) The best way
C) One way
D) The relationship-oriented way

Question 11

Which type of negotiation views resources involved in the negotiation as flexible instead of fixed?

A) Distributive negotiation
B) Integrative negotiation
C) Process negotiation
D) Expansion negotiation

Question 12

The best conflict style is ________.

A) Competing
B) Compromising
C) Accommodating
D) None of the above

Question 13

Which of the following statements about cognitive framing is true?

A) Individuals have unique cognitive frames
B) Individuals working in the same department will have similar cognitive frames
C) Individuals with good working relationships will have similar cognitive frames
D) Individuals working on different teams but in the same department will have similar cognitive frames

Question 14

Which type of conflict do mediators work to resolve?

A) Interpersonal
B) Process
C) Very few conflicts with specific issues identified
D) A broad range of conflicts

Question 15

Organizations experience ________ conflict.

A) No
B) Functional
C) Dysfunctional
D) Functional and dysfunctional

Question 16

A retail location's employees are suffering from poor morale and low motivation. The store manager knows that many changes must be made and the changes will likely be met with resistance from employees who are disengaged and not committed to their jobs. What conflict management style would best help the store manager make the changes necessary to improve the morale and engagement of the store's employees?

A) Avoiding
B) Competing
C) Accommodating
D) Collaborating

Question 17

What have some researchers argued could make all negotiation strategies more effective?

A) Increase the perceived power base of the negotiator
B) Focus only on the content or substantive outcomes
C) Focus only on relationship outcomes
D) Conduct negotiations on neutral ground

Question 18

Amber has always been averse to conflict and tries to avoid becoming involved at all costs both at work and in her personal life. When friends or coworkers try to pull her into a conflict, she resists and withdrawals from the situation. She has considered whether this is the best conflict management strategy and she concluded that it has worked for her thus far and that if she continues to avoid conflicts, she can stay out of them and she won't have to deal with them. Examine Amber's conflict management strategy and justify your conclusion.

Question 19

The avoiding conflict style ________.

A) Should never be used because nothing will get done
B) Should rarely be used because it results in no action
C) Can be effective in certain situations
D) Should always be used if the goal is to increase cooperation

Question 20

With less than two weeks to go until a critical sales presentation, progress on a very important project has ground to a halt because the group can't decide which software to use. Two people have strong preferences to use different kinds of software. The other three people in the group just want to pick one and move on. What type of conflict is happening?

A) Process
B) Task
C) Latent
D) Interpersonal

Question 21

Employees are advised to use the subordinate negotiation strategy because it focuses on building the relationship between themselves and their supervisor.

A) True, employees should defer to the experience and decisions of the supervisor, so entering negotiations with the goal of preserving that relationship is a great idea for advancing in the company
B) False, they should use the competitive strategy that focuses only on the issues at hand and doesn't consider the relationship between the employer and employee
C) False, they should use the avoidance strategy so they can focus on their own work and leave the negotiations and decision making to their supervisor
D) False, a collaborative strategy would be the better choice because the issue and relationship are both considered during the negotiation process

Question 22

Organizations should actively manage conflict at which level(s)?

A) Individual
B) Group
C) Organizational
D) All of the above

Question 23

Which of the following is not a predetermined factor in negotiations?

A) Issues involved
B) People involved
C) Surrounding environment
D) Strategy choice

Question 24

Brian is engaging in negotiations with the other department managers for resource allocations for the next fiscal year. Brian is very confident that he will get exactly what he needs for his department in this negotiation, but his boss thought he was overestimating his probability of success. Which of the below situations most likely happened?

A) Brian will get less than what he was negotiating for
B) Brian will get what he was negotiating for
C) Brian will get more than what he was negotiating for
D) Brian is more likely to enter an interpersonal conflict over values with the other managers

Question 25

Every one of the situational factors involved in any conflict should be examined prior to entering the negotiation process. Why is this statement incorrect?

A) Other factors are more important than situational factors, so those should be examined in their entirety
B) All of the information needed may not be identified or available
C) You only need to examine the critical factors
D) The original statement is correct