Deck 14: Managing Conflict, Power, and Politics

Question 1

Research shows that there is an optimal level of conflict within an organization. In other words, some conflict is actually good.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Conflict tends to be greater in organizations that have independent departments that don't rely upon one another.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Sometime attitudes are so intrenched that the only solution to conflict is to change the people involved.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

"Good" conflict can be defined as that which helps the organization overcome inertia and allows new learning.

Question 5

Conflict in organizations would be reduced if there was always an abundance of resources for subunits to use.

Question 6

Subunits begin to see the potential for conflict at the "manifest" stage in Pondy's model.

Question 7

Organizational power can be defined as the ability A to cause B to do something that B would not have otherwise done.

Question 8

Conflict arises when stakeholders compete for scarce resources.

Question 9

Conflict can either overcome inertia or cause inertia.

Question 10

One cause of conflict is subunits that have different goals.

Question 11

Subunits begin to search for the source of conflict at the "perceived" stage in Pondy's model.

Question 12

"Attitudinal structuring" is considered a last resort option in resolving conflict.

Question 13

Conflict because of incompatible performance criteria usually occurs in organizations that don't have clear job descriptions.

Question 14

Integrating roles are a source of organizational conflict.

Question 15

Conflict between the CEO at Morgan Stanley and top management resulted in many of these top managers being terminated.

Question 16

If the work flows of department B are not impinged upon by those of department A, then it is highly unlikely that A and B will conflict.

Question 17

Perceived conflict is cognitive in nature, meaning the people involved each think a conflict is on the horizon, but don't communicate it openly.

Question 18

An element of coercion is involved in the use of power to resolve conflict.

Question 19

Failure to manage conflict hurts an organization's culture.

Question 20

Organizational conflict is always dysfunctional, because it is an unanticipated or unintended consequence of formal structure and procedures.

Question 21

The negative side of conflict includes all except:

A) managers spend time bargaining
B) Decision making is slowed.
C) organizational effectiveness is improved.
D) groups fail to arrive at consensus.

Question 22

According to Pondy, felt conflict comes immediately after ________.

A) conflict aftermath
B) latent conflict
C) manifest conflict
D) perceived conflict

Question 23

The power that doctors have in a hospital stems from their ability to control resources.

Question 24

Controlling the agenda enables managers to prevent conflict from reaching the manifest stage.

Question 25

Conflict between line and staff functions typically stems from which of the following sources?

A) Status inconsistencies
B) Task interdependencies
C) An organic structure
D) Incompatible performance criteria

Question 26

Typically, the R&D function in a biotechnology organization is powerful because the major source of uncertainty is whether the organization can discover safe, new drugs, and they control this.

Question 27

When authority is centralized, it is difficult for coalitions to form.

Question 28

The balance of power determines whether organizational politics increases or decreases organizational effectiveness.

Question 29

What is the result of one stakeholder group pursuing its goals at the expense of another group?

A) Organizational capabilities
B) Organizational power
C) Organizational conflict
D) Organizational politics

Question 30

"Unobtrusive power" develops when different subunits join in a coalition to achieve their goal. Other managers are generally not aware that the coalition exists.

Question 31

Many WorldCom executives have actually paid dollars back to the organization in order to avoid criminal prosecution.

Question 32

Organizational politics refers to the activities that people participate in for the purpose of acquiring, developing, and using power.

Question 33

The power that doctors have in a hospital stems from their ability to control specific knowledge or information.

Question 34

Conflict will most likely result when task interdependence is and differentiation is ________.

A) reciprocal/low
B) reciprocal/high
C) sequential/low
D) sequential/high

Question 35

Sometimes empowerment is difficult to implement because managers perceive they are giving up power by decentralizing decision making.

Question 36

Conflict can be beneficial because:

A) it overcomes organizational inertia.
B) stakeholders compete for resources.
C) one group thwarts another group's goals.
D) stakeholders all have similar goals.

Question 37

Political behavior should typically be ignored in important decisions, such as structural changes and resource allocation.

Question 38

Which of the following is not a stage in Pondy's model of conflict?

A) Manifest conflict
B) Aroused conflict
C) Felt conflict
D) Perceived conflict

Question 39

Which of the following is not a potential source of conflict between subunits?

A) Pooled interdependence
B) Bureaucratic factors
C) Incompatible performance criteria
D) Differences in goals

Question 40

Conflict arises when stakeholders ________.

A) compete for resources
B) contribute resources
C) share goals
D) cooperate with each other

Question 41

"Us-versus-them" mentalities develop in which stage of conflict?

A) Perceived
B) Manifest
C) Felt
D) Latent

Question 42

Which of the following is not a way to manage conflict by changing task relationships?

A) Creating clearly defined authority relationships
B) Increasing integration
C) Creating a procedural system to allow groups to voice their complaints
D) Changing organizational structure

Question 43

Passive aggressiveness occurs in which stage of conflict?

A) Manifest
B) Perceived
C) Felt
D) Conflict aftermath

Question 44

A manufacturing manager refuses to cooperate with a sales manager because they had a big fight last month. This is an example of ________.

A) perceived conflict
B) manifest conflict
C) felt conflict
D) conflict aftermath

Question 45

In a manufacturing firm, production managers inform human resources that they need more workers at the last minute and order staff accountants to calculate costs immediately. This is an example of which potential source of conflict?

A) Interdependence
B) Incompatible performance criteria
C) Bureaucratic factors
D) Differences in goals

Question 46

Which of the following is not one of the reasons that managers should do all they can to prevent conflict from getting to the manifest stage?

A) Conflict can never be resolved if it reaches the manifest stage.
B) Passive aggressive behavior will harm the organization.
C) Conflict aftermath will follow this stage.
D) Breakdowns in communication likely will occur at this stage.

Question 47

A condition in which one or more parties becomes aware of the potential for conflict is called ________.

A) felt conflict
B) manifest conflict
C) latent conflict
D) perceived conflict

Question 48

All of the following are ways to manage conflict by changing attitudes except:

A) firing employees.
B) rotating employees among subunits.
C) using third-party negotiators.
D) increasing centrality.

Question 49

An organization can best manage conflict by implementing a(n) structure and by authority.

A) organic/centralizing
B) organic/decentralizing
C) mechanistic/decentralizing
D) mechanistic/centralizing

Question 50

Conflict between the London division and the U.S. division at CS First Boston stemmed from ________.

A) task responsibilities
B) differences in goals
C) incompatible performance criteria
D) task interdependence

Question 51

Which structure will most likely cause conflict as an organization grows and differentiates?

A) Market
B) Product division
C) Product team
D) Functional

Question 52

A production manager agrees in a meeting to modify an order for the sales department, but then ignores the request later because he doesn't like the sales manager. This passive aggressive type of behavior occurs in which stage of Pondy's model?

A) Manifest conflict
B) Conflict aftermath
C) Perceived conflict
D) Latent conflict

Question 53

Divisions try to hurt the performance of other divisions in which stage of conflict?

A) Perceived
B) Felt
C) Manifest
D) Conflict aftermath

Question 54

Manifest conflict typically:

A) improves the quality of decision making.
B) results from unobtrusive power.
C) results in a good conflict aftermath.
D) impedes communication.

Question 55

In which stage of Pondy's model do subunits begin to try and define why conflict is occurring and analyzing the events that led up to the conflict?

A) Conflict aftermath
B) Perceived conflict
C) Manifest conflict
D) Latent conflict

Question 56

Attitudinal structuring is:

A) a tactic used to increase indispensability.
B) a process of firing people who have bad attitudes about cooperation.
C) a process designed to encourage the perception that conflicting parties are on the same side.
D) the process of trying to build coalitions.

Question 57

The method chosen to manage conflict depends on:

A) the source of the problem .
B) integrating mechanisms.
C) property rights.
D) the tallness of the hierarchy.

Question 58

In which stage of Pondy's model does an "us-versus-them" mentality emerge?

A) Perceived conflict
B) Felt conflict
C) Conflict aftermath
D) Latent conflict

Question 59

Which of the following is a potential source of conflict?

A) Competition for scarce resources
B) Control over information
C) Control over resources
D) Centrality

Question 60

Manufacturing attributes low sales to poor advertising, and marketing attributes low sales to poor quality. This conflict is in which of the following stages?

A) Manifest
B) Felt
C) Perceived
D) Latent

Question 61

"Gatekeepers" have power stemming from ________.

A) nonsubstitutability
B) authority
C) the government
D) control over information

Question 62

After World War II, which function had power due to its control over uncertainty?

A) Finance
B) Marketing
C) Manufacturing
D) Engineering

Question 63

Rick is the only person in the finance department who knows how to fix the computer when it breaks down. The source of Rick's power is ________.

A) nonsubstitutability
B) authority
C) control over resources
D) control over the premises of decision making

Question 64

Which of the following statements about authority is true?

A) Managers lose authority when they decentralize it to subordinates.
B) If authority is decentralized, top managers have less authority
C) A traditional way that managers try to retain their authority is to give subordinates all the information that they have.
D) A person with power from authority will always win conflicts with a person who has unobtrusive power.

Question 65

Finance gained power in the 1970s from which of the following sources?

A) Control over information
B) Nonsubstitutability
C) Control over resources
D) Control over uncertainty

Question 66

Centrality refers to:

A) a coalition of individual managers trying to achieve a central goal.
B) the ability to perform tasks that no other individual or subunit can perform.
C) a function being essential to resource flows in an organization.
D) a third-party negotiator who manages conflict.

Question 67

The goal of empowerment is not to:

A) encourage subordinates to use their skills.
B) motivate subordinates.
C) give subordinates decision-making authority.
D) increase top management's authority.

Question 68

The power of doctors in a hospital stems from ________.

A) resource allocation
B) specific knowledge
C) nonsubstitutability
D) the ability to generate financial resources

Question 69

Which of the following is not a source of power?

A) Nonsubstitutability
B) Conflict
C) Centrality
D) Control over uncertainty

Question 70

Supervisors hold onto power by ________.

A) empowering employees
B) sharing information
C) restricting information
D) decentralizing decision making

Question 71

Jane works for a manufacturing plant that has been under pressure to reduce pollution. Jane increased her knowledge of environmental laws in order to help the company follow waste disposal laws. Jane is using which of the following political tactics?

A) Increasing nonsubstitutability
B) Co-optation
C) Increasing control over resources
D) Controlling the agenda

Question 72

________ is the process of giving subordinates the freedom to make decisions.

A) Centrality
B) Co-optation
C) Empowerment
D) Attitudinal structuring

Question 73

Controlling the premises of decision making is called ________.

A) empowerment
B) authority
C) unobtrusive power
D) legitimate power

Question 74

A manager accepts an assignment that brings him into contact with many managers so that he can enhance his reputation or enhance his ability to acquire information. This is called ________.

A) increasing nonsubstitutability
B) increasing nonsubstitutability
C) increasing centrality
D) creating a coalition

Question 75

Product development, manufacturing, and sales depend on marketing for information because:

A) marketing has centrality.
B) marketing has authority.
C) marketing allocates resources.
D) marketing has unobtrusive power.

Question 76

Which of the following describes the relationship between power and conflict?

A) Power and conflict are not related.
B) Power is the primary source of conflict.
C) Groups can use their power to resolve conflicts in their favor.
D) If a group has power, other groups will not engage in conflict with it.

Question 77

The power of a particular department increases when it:

A) faces a high degree of uncertainty.
B) provides specialized services removed from the technical core.
C) provides a service that can be replaced by other departments.
D) decreases uncertainty for other departments.

Question 78

The R&D function will have the greatest centrality when an organization pursues which of the following strategies?

A) Outsourcing
B) Differentiation
C) Vertical differentiation
D) Low-cost

Question 79

Organizational politics are:

A) the rational influences on decision making.
B) the process of allocating resources equally to each subunit.
C) the processes where individuals or groups exercise what power they can amass to influence goals and processes.
D) the choice of rational outcomes that are consistent with those sought by the organization as a whole.

Question 80

Scientists who invent drugs derive power from ________.

A) subunit orientations
B) the ability to generate financial resources
C) the ability to cure diseases
D) specific knowledge