Deck 11: Managing Conflict and Negotiations

Question 1

The law of interorganizational conflict proposes that every group comes into at least partial conflict with every other group with which it interacts.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Accommodation as a response to conflict should never be used as it projects weakness.

Answer 2

False
Explanation: Although accommodation may appear to be "giving in," this may be an extremely beneficial approach for a conflicting group to use in some situations.

Question 3

A lack of disagreement can lead to suboptimum performance and inferior decision making.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In extreme conflict situations where threats are perceived,democratic methods of leadership are likely to become more popular.

Question 5

When a group is in conflict,it becomes less task-oriented.

Question 6

Even groups with mutually exclusive goals can find themselves in conflict.

Question 7

Conformity to group norms becomes less important in conflict situations.

Question 8

When limited resources must be allocated between groups,mutual dependencies decrease.

Question 9

When managers keep potentially confrontational information (important to the group)to themselves,it serves to repress conflict.

Question 10

Compromising may sometimes involve third-party interventions.

Question 11

Even dysfunctional conflict can enhance and benefit an organization's performance.

Question 12

Every organization has an optimal level of conflict that helps generate positive performance.

Question 13

The same level of stress and conflict that creates a healthy and positive movement toward goals in one group may prove disruptive and dysfunctional in another.

Question 14

A lack of conflict is never beneficial to the organization.

Question 15

The "law and order" approach to conflict management,i.e.,managers order people to stop arguing and to get back to work,typically causes the conflict to subside.

Question 16

Evidence suggests that conflict can improve the quality of decision making and employee relations.

Question 17

Work independence is a typical source of intergroup conflict.

Question 18

Conflict is neither inherently good nor bad,although it is inevitable.

Question 19

Too little conflict leads to apathy and lethargy and provides little or no impetus for change and innovation.

Question 20

Increasing conflict can increase the tendency for groupthink.

Question 21

An organization that has a high level of intergroup conflict is most likely to be characterized by all of the following except:

A) Disruption
B) Interference with activities
C) Chaos
D) Apathy

Question 22

Although there is no one best way to manage,there is one best way to negotiate.

Question 23

When an opposing group offers to split the difference too early,it may mean that the group has already received more than it expected to get or thinks it deserves.

Question 24

Slow adaptation to environmental changes is associated with ___________ levels of intergroup conflict.

A) low or no
B) optimal
C) high
D) torrid

Question 25

________ interdependence requires no interaction among groups.

A) Nominal
B) Virtual
C) Pooled
D) None of the above.

Question 26

A _______________ conflict is any confrontation or interaction between groups that harms the organization or hinders the achievement of organizational goals.

A) zero-sum
B) joint-problem
C) devil's advocate
D) dysfunctional

Question 27

The conflict potential in _______________ is relatively low.

A) pooled interdependence
B) sequential interdependence
C) reciprocal interdependence
D) dysfunctional interdependence

Question 28

All of the following are types of group interdependence except:

A) Pooled
B) Circular
C) Sequential
D) Reciprocal

Question 29

_______________ interdependence requires one group to complete its task before another group can complete its task.

A) Pooled
B) Sequential
C) Reciprocal
D) Dysfunctional

Question 30

The final outcome of negotiations is almost always directly related to the power and dependency relationships between the negotiators.

Question 31

The use of incentives has no impact or effect on conflict among groups.

Question 32

A traditional assembly line would most likely create a high degree of ___________ interdependence.

A) Pooled
B) Reciprocal
C) Sequential
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 33

Inaccurate _______________ often cause one group to develop stereotypes about other groups.

A) perceptions
B) negotiations
C) directions
D) priorities

Question 34

Status incongruence conflicts are often created by _______________.

A) personalities
B) work patterns
C) time goals
D) quotas

Question 35

The tendency for every group to be at least partially in conflict with every other group with which it interacts is known as "the law of _______________ conflict."

A) systematic
B) interorganizational
C) interpersonal
D) random

Question 36

In the Big City track meet,runners from five schools compete in separate events.Individual runners are awarded points based on the place (1^st,2^nd,and 3^rd)they finish in their race,and these points are totaled to determine which school wins the meet.What type of interdependence would best describe this situation?

A) Pooled
B) Reciprocal
C) Sequential
D) Team

Question 37

____________ is also known as distributive negotiating.

A) Hyperfunctional
B) Type A
C) Combative
D) Zero-sum

Question 38

A "devil's advocate" is a person that introduces dysfunctional conflict into the organization.

Question 39

In most cases,the point at which functional conflict becomes dysfunctional is ____________.

A) common across organizations
B) known as the transition point
C) impossible to identify precisely
D) All of the above.

Question 40

The relationships that exist between the anesthesiology staff,nursing staff,technician staff,and surgeons in a hospital operating room is an example of _____________.

A) pooled interdependence
B) sequential interdependence
C) reciprocal interdependence
D) functional conflict

Question 41

A(n)_______________ party places maximum emphasis on meeting the needs of the other group,while minimizing its own concerns.

A) accommodating
B) compromising
C) avoiding
D) dominating

Question 42

One group may hold the most power because it _______________.

A) is higher up in the organizational hierarchy
B) controls critical resources
C) has allied with other groups
D) Any or all of the choices are correct.

Question 43

When a group is engaged in intergroup conflict,its cohesion tends to _______________.

A) decrease
B) remain the same
C) increase
D) Conflict has no effect on cohesion.

Question 44

You should consider using a _______________ approach when both groups are willing to invest time and effort to reach a resolution that maximizes everyone's outcome.

A) dominating
B) problem-solving
C) avoiding
D) compromising

Question 45

Conflict tends to ____________ negative stereotypes.

A) increase
B) decrease
C) balance
D) reinforce

Question 46

A lack of conflict ______________.

A) is never beneficial
B) may prove beneficial in the short term
C) is the central goal of the "new" approaches to management
D) is considered a "hygiene" factor

Question 47

Issues involving _______________ are seen as conflicts over limited resources.

A) wages
B) benefits
C) working conditions
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 48

Communications between groups in conflict usually _______________.

A) increase
B) are strictly task focused
C) remain the same
D) break down

Question 49

If negotiation fails,a conflict often _______________.

A) escalates
B) dissolves
C) resolves on its own
D) spreads to other groups

Question 50

_______________ conflict is conflict that is deliberately and systematically created,even when no real differences appear to exist.

A) Imaginary
B) Systemic
C) Contrived
D) Programmed

Question 51

Distributive negotiating is also known as _______________ negotiating.

A) win-win
B) win-lose
C) divisible
D) low-ball

Question 52

When a group is in conflict,it becomes _______ task-oriented.

A) less
B) nominally
C) more
D) adversely

Question 53

Members of the United Auto Workers union at the Ford Motor Company,in response to a major downturn in automobile sales and profitability,agreed to caps on overtime and unemployment pay and reductions in wage increases because the survival of the company was threatened.This is an example of _________.

A) a bad faith approach by management
B) an avoiding approach by the union
C) focusing on a superordinate goal
D) deceptive management behavior

Question 54

You should use a _______________ approach on important negotiation issues when you are certain you are right.

A) dominating
B) problem-solving
C) avoiding
D) compromising

Question 55

_______________ seeks to resolve conflict by placing maximum focus on both groups' concerns.

A) Accommodating
B) Compromising
C) Avoiding
D) Problem solving or collaboration

Question 56

Prior to an important decision,your team assigns you the role of critic with the job of uncovering all possible problems with a particular proposal.Your function may be termed as a(n)______.

A) angel
B) change advocate
C) devil's advocate
D) disturbance creator

Question 57

Changing the _______________ of the organization not only can help resolve intergroup conflict,it can be an excellent way to create conflict.

A) structure
B) ethnic makeup
C) geographic location
D) product line

Question 58

When a group is engaged in intergroup conflict,_______________.

A) cohesion tends to increase
B) democratic methods of leadership are likely to become less popular
C) it is not unusual for groups to overconform to group norms
D) All of the above are correct

Question 59

_______________ is a good backup strategy if attempts at problem solving are unsuccessful.

A) Accommodating
B) Compromising
C) Avoiding
D) Dominating

Question 60

It is typically best to use a(n)__________ conflict resolution approach in disputes that are of far greater importance to the other group than they are to your group.

A) accommodating
B) compromising
C) dominating
D) avoiding

Question 61

When conducting cross-cultural negotiations,if your counterpart is risk-adverse you should ___________.

A) structure the negotiation to be a detailed step-by-step process
B) provide limited information to foster trust in your level of knowledge
C) proceed quickly to limit their cognitive stress
D) assume authority and force consensus

Question 62

What is the impact of conflict that is too low?

Question 63

Tough negotiators use _______________ to make opponents think they don't need them.

A) the power of competition
B) joint problem-solving
C) splitting the difference
D) a good-guy/bad-guy approach

Question 64

To negotiate in a manner designed primarily to maintain good relations between the parties,irrespective of the outcome of the negotiation,is to focus on a _______________ outcome.

A) relationship
B) constructive
C) primary
D) substantive

Question 65

What is a positive-sum situation?

A) One party gains more than the other
B) Each party gains something, without a corresponding loss for the other party
C) The losses of both parties result in a net gain for a third party
D) A positive result is possible, but negotiations have stalled

Question 66

During _______________,the chief role of the consultant is to improve the negotiating climate so that substantive negotiations can take place at some point in the future.

A) mediation
B) arbitration
C) conciliation
D) consultation

Question 67

In ____________________ arbitration,the arbitrator has no real control over designing the agreement.

A) game theory based
B) binding
C) final-offer
D) constative

Question 68

Mike goes to the market and haggles for a price that is less than the vendor's cost.This is an example of _______________ negotiating.

A) win-lose
B) Western
C) maximal
D) All of the choices can be correct.

Question 69

During _______________,a third party has the power to impose an agreement.

A) mediation
B) arbitration
C) conciliation
D) consultation

Question 70

____________ is a type of planned intervention that is meant to build self-awareness and camaraderie among members of a team.

A) Interaction management
B) Team building
C) Self-examination
D) Game playing

Question 71

When does work interdependence occur and how has it been classified?

Question 72

When a party to a negotiation suggests a split the difference early in the process _____________.

A) they may be seeking a nibble to exploit later
B) it may mean they have already received more than they think they deserve
C) communicating they are committed to a win-win approach
D) a demonstrating joint problem solving

Question 73

You can improve your cross-cultural negotiation by __________________________.

A) assuming authority
B) identifying if there is one decision maker or if group consensus is required
C) opening conversations using a dominating approach
D) All of the choices are correct.

Question 74

Striving to end up with a bigger piece of the pie than the other party is to focus on a _______________ outcome.

A) related
B) constructive
C) primary
D) substantive

Question 75

When managers and employees repress conflict,it can lead often to higher (and uglier)levels of discord.Provide an example of an "ugly" conflict strategy that should be avoided.

Question 76

A negotiator from which of the following countries would typically have the most informal negotiating style?

A) Spain
B) China
C) Mexico
D) United States

Question 77

How does functional conflict benefit the organization?

Question 78

A negotiator from which of the following countries would typically have the most indirect communication style?

A) Germany
B) United States
C) India
D) Japan

Question 79

How has the organizational perspective to conflict changed over time?

Question 80

A tactic that involves getting an additional concession or perks after an agreement has been reached is the _______________ approach.

A) good-guy/bad-guy
B) nibble
C) joint problem-solving
D) power of competition