Deck 14: Conflict and Negotiation

Question 1

Define and describe the interactionist view of conflict.

Answer 1

The interactionist approach encourages conflict on the grounds that a harmonious, peaceful, tranquil, and cooperative group is prone to becoming static, apathetic, and nonresponsive to needs for change and innovation. The major contribution of the interactionist approach, therefore, is encouraging group leaders to maintain an ongoing minimum level of conflict-enough to keep the group viable, self-critical, and creative.
The interactionist view classifies conflicts in two categories, functional conflicts and dysfunctional conflicts. Functional conflict supports the goals of the group and improves its performance and is, thus, a constructive form of conflict. A conflict that hinders group performance is a destructive or dysfunctional conflict.

Question 2

According to the traditional view of conflict, conflict is ________.

A) harmful
B) natural
C) necessary
D) healthy
E) rational

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Define and describe the traditional view of conflict.

Answer 3

The traditional view of conflict was consistent with attitudes about group behaviour that prevailed in the 1930s and 1940s. Conflict was seen as a dysfunctional outcome resulting from poor communication, a lack of openness and trust between people, and the failure of managers to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of their employees. Conflict was discussed with the terms violence, destruction, and irrationality. While the idea that all conflict is bad and should be avoided certainly offers a simple approach to looking at the behaviour of people who create disagreements, researchers realized that some level of conflict was inevitable. We need merely study the causes of conflict and correct the malfunctions to improve group and organizational performance.

Question 4

Which of the following refers to the conflict between two people?

A) task conflict
B) dyadic conflict
C) intragroup conflict
D) intergroup conflict
E) process conflict

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true regarding task conflicts?

A) Task conflicts relate to how the work gets done.
B) Task conflicts are almost always dysfunctional.
C) Task conflict among top management teams was positively associated with their performance.
D) Task conflict focuses on interpersonal relationships.
E) If task and relationship conflict occur together, task conflict is more likely positive.

Question 6

Jennifer has come to realize that conflict has both functional, as well as dysfunctional, outcomes. She has observed examples of both in her organization. Last month, Jennifer's department experienced constructive conflict during a meeting. Which of the following is not an outcome of this functional conflict?

A) The quality of decisions is improved.
B) Creativity and innovation are stimulated.
C) Tensions are released.
D) Groupthink is increased.
E) Interest and curiosity are encouraged.

Question 7

________ is defined as a process that begins when one party perceives another party has, or is about to, negatively affect something the first party cares about.

A) Problem solving
B) Assessment
C) Conflict
D) Negotiation
E) Collective bargaining

Question 8

With reference to the interactionist view of conflict, conflict that relates to the content and goals of work is called ________ conflict.

A) job
B) task
C) relationship
D) process
E) communication

Question 9

The interactionist view of conflict proposes that all conflicts are good.

Question 10

The traditional view of conflict recognizes that a minimal level of conflict can help keep a group viable, self-critical, and creative.

Question 11

According to the interactionist's perspective, a group that functions without conflict is ________.

A) dysfunctional
B) static and apathetic
C) responsive to the need for change and innovation
D) the most productive
E) viable, self-critical, and creative

Question 12

According to the interactionist view, ________ conflicts support the goals of the group and improve its performance.

A) formal
B) informal
C) functional
D) dysfunctional
E) reactive

Question 13

Relationship conflicts, at least in work settings, are almost always dysfunctional.

Question 14

________ conflict supports the goals of the group while ________ conflict hinders group performance.

A) Interactionist; dysfunctional
B) Functional; dysfunctional
C) Dysfunctional; functional
D) Dysfunctional; interactionist
E) Functional; interactionist

Question 15

Intense ________ can be quite stressful to group members and might well affect the way they interact.

A) task conflict
B) dyadic conflict
C) functional conflict
D) intergroup conflict
E) process conflict

Question 16

It seems that your work group is in conflict much of the time. One colleague has suggested that you, as the supervisor, are responsible for eliminating the conflict so that your work group can function harmoniously. Another colleague has suggested that conflict is good for stimulating creativity and productivity within the work environment. You are unsure about whether you should try to eliminate the conflict within your group or learn to deal with it positively. If you support the idea that conflict should be eliminated, you are supporting which of the following views of conflict?

A) the traditional view
B) the human relations view
C) the interactionist view
D) the moderated acceptance view
E) the optimistic view

Question 17

Some studies suggest that ________ levels of task conflict in the early development stages ________ creativity in groups.

A) low; increases
B) moderate; increases
C) high; mitigates
D) moderate; decreases
E) low; decreases

Question 18

You are a marketing director for a large food manufacturer. Lately, you have noticed that you are spending a great deal more time at work, sometimes 14 hours a day, because your best friend, who is head of product development, continues to ask you to serve on taste test panels for new products. Which type(s) of conflict are you experiencing?

A) task
B) relationship
C) process
D) both A and B
E) all A, B, and C

Question 19

When your work group disagrees, the disagreements usually concern how the group's work should be accomplished. The type of conflict experienced by your group is ________.

A) task conflict
B) relationship conflict
C) process conflict
D) traditional conflict
E) reactive conflict

Question 20

You decide to do more research on the view that conflict should be encouraged as a means to achieve change and innovation. This view is termed ________.

A) the traditional view
B) the human relations view
C) the interactionist view
D) the acceptance view
E) the promotional view

Question 21

________ is the third stage in the conflict process and it intervenes between people's perceptions and their overt behaviour.

A) Potential for opposition
B) Intention
C) Cognition
D) Attribution
E) Behavioural manifestation

Question 22

Leah has found some ethical problems with the healthcare policy of her organization. She knows she is right in considering this as a vital issue to her organization's welfare. She finds that others are taking advantage of her noncompetitive behaviour. Which conflict-handling strategy should Leah select in this situation?

A) competition
B) collaboration
C) avoidance
D) accommodation
E) compromise

Question 23

All of the following communication barriers could create conflict except ________.

A) semantic difficulties
B) information source
C) jargon
D) insufficient information
E) misunderstandings

Question 24

Task conflict among top management teams was negatively associated with their performance, whereas conflict lower in the organization was positively associated with group performance.

Question 25

Which of the following conflict-handling intentions involves attempting to find a win-win solution?

A) avoiding
B) collaborating
C) accommodating
D) compromising
E) competing

Question 26

Process conflict often becomes highly personalized and quickly devolves into relationship conflict.

Question 27

Stage II of the conflict process deals with the conflict being ________.

A) perceived and felt
B) apparent and experienced
C) expressed and perceived
D) cooperative and assertive
E) accommodated and compromised

Question 28

Conditions that can create conflicts can be classified into three categories. Which of the following is one of these three categories that includes variables such as jurisdictional clarity, member-goal compatibility, and leadership styles?

A) communication
B) structure
C) personal variables
D) group interactions
E) process variables

Question 29

Which of the following is not a possible result of felt conflict?

A) anxiety
B) tension
C) frustration
D) indifference
E) hostility

Question 30

Which of the following statements is true regarding conflict?

A) The smaller the group, the greater the likelihood of conflict.
B) The less specialized the activities of the group, the greater the likelihood of conflict.
C) People low in the personality traits of disagreeableness, neuroticism, or self-monitoring are more likely to engage in a conflict.
D) Diversity of goals among groups is a major source of conflict.
E) As the ambiguity about where responsibility for actions lies decreases, the potential for conflict increases.

Question 31

Angelina feels that her cubicle neighbour, Lindsay, talks loudly on the phone, but in other ways she is a great neighbour. Angelina gets annoyed every time Lindsay's phone rings, but she has decided it's simply not worth the trouble to talk to her. Angelina's conflict-handling intention is called ________.

A) competing
B) avoiding
C) accommodating
D) compromising
E) collaborating

Question 32

Which of the following conflict-handling intentions is unassertive and uncooperative?

A) competing
B) collaborating
C) avoiding
D) compromising
E) accommodating

Question 33

The conflict-handling intention of accommodating is ________.

A) assertive and uncooperative
B) assertive and cooperative
C) unassertive and uncooperative
D) unassertive and cooperative
E) reflective and assertive

Question 34

When one person seeks to satisfy his or her own interests regardless of the impact on the other parties to the conflict, that person is ________.

A) competing
B) avoiding
C) accommodating
D) compromising
E) collaborating

Question 35

All of the following personal variables are potential sources of conflict except ________.

A) emotions
B) values
C) disagreeableness
D) self-monitoring
E) openness to experience

Question 36

Based on the dimensions of cooperativeness and assertiveness, the conflict-handling intentions are classified into five categories. Which of the following is not one of these five conflict-handling intentions?

A) collaborating
B) competing
C) accommodating
D) avoiding
E) resisting

Question 37

The conflict-handling techniques are characterized by two dimensions, cooperativeness and assertiveness. Assertiveness indicates the degree to which ________.

A) one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns
B) one party attempts to suppress the conflict
C) the parties attempt to find a win-win solution
D) one party attempts to satisfy the other party's concerns
E) the parties are willing to involve third-party conflict resolution techniques

Question 38

The conflict-handling intention of collaborating is ________.

A) assertive and uncooperative
B) assertive and cooperative
C) unassertive and uncooperative
D) unassertive and cooperative
E) affective and reflective

Question 39

The ________ stage of the conflict process is important because it's where conflict issues tend to be defined.

A) potential opposition
B) cognition and personalization
C) intuitions
D) behaviour
E) reaction and transference

Question 40

The conflict-handling techniques are characterized by two dimensions, cooperativeness and assertiveness. Cooperativeness indicates the degree to which ________.

A) one party attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns
B) one party attempts to suppress the conflict
C) the parties attempt to find a win-win solution
D) one party attempts to satisfy the other party's concerns
E) the parties are willing to involve third-party conflict resolution techniques

Question 41

The conflict-handling intention of accommodating is unassertive and cooperative.

Question 42

Tyler has often been seen to be employing accommodation as his conflict-handling strategy. In which of the following situations would Tyler's strategy be most suitable?

A) when he perceives no chance of satisfying his concerns
B) when an issue is trivial or symptomatic of other issues
C) when gathering information supersedes immediate decision
D) when others can resolve the conflict more effectively
E) when harmony and stability are especially important

Question 43

In which stage of the conflict process does conflict become visible?

A) outcomes
B) intentions
C) incompatibility
D) behaviour
E) personalization

Question 44

People from which country are least likely to confront differences of opinion directly and openly?

A) United States
B) Canada
C) Great Britain
D) Germany
E) Japan

Question 45

Supporting someone else's opinion despite your reservations about the opinion is an example of ________.

A) collaborating
B) compromising
C) avoiding
D) competing
E) accommodating

Question 46

All of the following are examples of conflict behaviours except ________.

A) overt effort to destroy the other party
B) aggressive physical attack
C) threat
D) negotiation
E) assertive verbal attack

Question 47

Which of the following conflict-handling intentions involves accepting a solution that provides incomplete satisfaction of both parties' concerns?

A) collaborating
B) compromising
C) avoiding
D) competing
E) accommodating

Question 48

What are the various causes of conflict?

Question 49

Jennifer's boss asks for her recommendations on strategies to promote functional conflicts within the company. Which of the following is Jennifer most likely to recommend?

A) punishing individuals who support beliefs that management has rejected
B) encouraging open, frank discussion focused on interests rather than issues
C) implementing a policy of promoting personnel who are conflict avoiders
D) instructing managers to discourage devil's advocacy in the decision-making process
E) encouraging managers to reward employees who keep their opinions to themselves

Question 50

Irma does not agree with the standard operating procedures adapted for the new project. However, she discusses the items with the team and comes to know that she was in the minority. She has, therefore, decided to accept the new procedures to maintain smooth operations within the team. This type of intention is called ________.

A) sacrificing
B) accommodating
C) collaborating
D) compromising
E) competing

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true regarding negotiation that takes place in a collectivist culture?

A) Collectivists are less likely to seek to preserve relationships and promote the good of the group as a whole than individualists.
B) Collectivists are more likely to confront differences of opinion directly and openly as compared to individualists.
C) Competing tactics are the most preferred methods of conflict management in China.
D) As compared to individualists, collectivists are less likely to see offers from their counterparts as unfair and to reject them.
E) The methods of conflict management preferred by American managers are avoiding and compromising.

Question 52

The potential for conflict increases when too much communication takes place.

Question 53

Describe the five conflict-handling intentions that are based on the dimensions of cooperativeness and assertiveness.

Question 54

People from which country are most likely to involve a third party to resolve disputes?

A) United States
B) Canada
C) Great Britain
D) Germany
E) China

Question 55

________ is an antidote for groupthink.

A) Politics
B) Distributive bargaining
C) Conflict
D) Integrative bargaining
E) Negotiation

Question 56

A party who seeks to appease an opponent may be willing to place the opponent's interests above his or her own, sacrificing to maintain the relationship. We refer to this intention as ________.

A) collaborating
B) avoiding
C) compromising
D) competing
E) accommodating

Question 57

During the intentions stage of the conflict process, the parties decide what the conflict is about.

Question 58

Which of the following outcomes is not a dysfunctional consequence of conflict?

A) bringing group functioning to a halt
B) reassessment of group goals
C) threatening the group's survival
D) poor communication
E) reduced group cohesiveness

Question 59

A Chinese manager is more likely to use which of the following techniques for conflict management?

A) direct confrontation
B) authoritative command
C) avoiding
D) pressurizing
E) competing tactics

Question 60

Compared to Japanese negotiators, their American counterparts are less likely to see offers from their counterparts as unfair and to reject them.

Question 61

In the case of distributive bargaining, the ________ point indicates what a person would like to achieve out of a negotiation.

A) resistance
B) clarification
C) target
D) closure
E) focus

Question 62

All of the following techniques are ways to achieve more integrative outcomes, except ________.

A) bargaining in teams rather than bargaining as an individual
B) introducing more negotiable issues of negotiation
C) focusing on underlying interests of both parties
D) creating more opportunities for logrolling
E) making an aggressive first offer

Question 63

In case of distributive bargaining, the ________ point marks the lowest outcome that is acceptable-the point below which the party would break off negotiations rather than accept a less favourable settlement.

A) resistance
B) tolerance
C) target
D) focal
E) clarification

Question 64

The two general approaches to bargaining are known as ________ bargaining.

A) emotional and rational
B) affective and reflective
C) distributive and integrative
D) formal and informal
E) reflexive and restrictive

Question 65

Which of the following is a characteristic of distributive bargaining?

A) win-win solution
B) long-term focus
C) good interpersonal relationships
D) opposed interests
E) high information sharing

Question 66

What are the various functional and dysfunctional outcomes of conflict?

Question 67

Which of the following terms best describes the process that occurs when two or more parties decide how to allocate scarce resources?

A) mediation
B) conflict management
C) negotiation
D) unionization
E) arbitration

Question 68

Outline and discuss the conflict process.

Question 69

At first, the disputing parties resist your offer to help create a win-win situation for both groups. They are each highly focused on their demands in the negotiation, otherwise known as their ________.

A) focal points
B) distribution points
C) resistance points
D) settlement ranges
E) target points

Question 70

All things being equal, ________ bargaining is preferable to distributive bargaining because the former builds long-term relationships.

A) accommodative
B) transformational
C) integrative
D) collaborative
E) distributive

Question 71

The terms negotiation and ________ are used interchangeably.

A) mediation
B) bargaining
C) collaboration
D) accommodating
E) arbitration

Question 72

Which of the following statements is true regarding distributive bargaining?

A) It operates under zero-sum conditions.
B) It focuses on long-term relationships.
C) It involves high information sharing.
D) It attempts to create a win-win solution.
E) In terms of intraorganizational behaviour, all things being equal, distributive bargaining is preferable to integrative bargaining.

Question 73

________ bargaining is negotiation that seeks to divide a "fixed pie."

A) Distributive
B) Integrative
C) Reflective
D) Affective
E) Conjunctive

Question 74

Emma is the labour union negotiator. Today, she is meeting with management to discuss the new five-year contract, including wages and benefits. This example of labour-management negotiations over wages exemplifies ________.

A) integrative bargaining
B) arbitration
C) distributive bargaining
D) mediation
E) conciliation

Question 75

During a negotiation, making an initial offer leads to the ________ bias.

A) self-serving
B) framing
C) attributional
D) anchoring
E) cognitive

Question 76

Which of the following statements is true regarding integrative bargaining?

A) Integrative bargaining leaves one party a loser.
B) Integrative bargaining makes the first offer, and makes it an aggressive one.
C) Integrative bargaining focuses on long-term relationships.
D) Integrative bargaining operates under zero-sum conditions.
E) Integrative bargaining involves low information sharing.

Question 77

You have decided to try to find a win-win situation to help labour and management resolve their differences. You are attempting to engage in ________.

A) integrative bargaining
B) conciliation
C) mediation
D) distributive bargaining
E) arbitration

Question 78

Which of the following statements is a condition necessary for integrative bargaining to succeed in organizations?

A) Opposing parties must not be guarded about their concerns.
B) Opposing parties must not be sensitive to others' needs.
C) Opposing parties must not trust each other.
D) Opposing parties must not be open to sharing information.
E) Opposing parties must not want to maintain flexibility.

Question 79

Labour and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. The drivers are threatening to strike, and management knows that such a strike would be very costly. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement seems to be possible. Both sides agree that they are competing over a fixed amount of resources. Each side feels that what one side wins, the other loses. Based on this information we can say that the two sides are engaged in ________.

A) conciliation
B) distributive bargaining
C) mediation
D) integrative bargaining
E) arbitration

Question 80

Caleb, a manager, always displays anger when he negotiates with his team members. Which type of bargaining is Caleb employing to induce concessions from his team?

A) integrative bargaining
B) collective bargaining
C) distributive bargaining
D) individual bargaining
E) dysfunctional bargaining