Deck 11: Managing Conflict and Negotiating

Question 1

The conflict process unfolds in a context,and can escalate or de-escalate.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

According to Rosalie L.Tung's study of expatriates,the most important way to facilitate interaction with host-country nationals is to be compassionate and understanding.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A study of over 1,600 ethnic majority (in-group)and ethnic minority (out-group)students revealed that contact had a significant effect on reducing the prejudice of the minority out-group on the majority in-group.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In-group thinking that represents a form of ethnocentrism can be a cross-cultural barrier and virtually guarantees conflict.

Question 5

According to Tjosvold's model,the three desired outcomes of conflict are avoidance,acceptance,and agreement.

Question 6

Traditionally,managers dealt with personality conflicts by either ignoring them or transferring one party.

Question 7

The sources and issues of conflict can be real or imagined.

Question 8

According to the contact hypothesis,the more the members of different groups interact,the more intergroup conflict they will experience.

Question 9

Researchers view incivility as a self-perpetuating vicious cycle that can end in violence.

Question 10

Cross-cultural conflict can be described as interpersonal opposition driven by personal dislikes and/or disagreements.

Question 11

Workplace incivility is defined as high-intensity deviant behavior intended to harm the target person in ways that violate norms of mutual respect.

Question 12

Individuals who feel undeserving and/or fear the consequences of success often avoid conflict for fear of getting what they want.

Question 13

Frederick Taylor recognized the inevitability of conflict and advised managers to learn to live with it.

Question 14

Too little conflict tends to create apathy,lack of creativity,indecision,and missed deadlines.

Question 15

By definition,personality traits are unstable and prone to change.

Question 16

Functional conflict is commonly referred to in management circles as constructive or cooperative conflict.

Question 17

Early action can prevent a single irritating behavior from precipitating into a full-blown personality conflict.

Question 18

The number one priority for managers faced with intergroup conflict is to identify and root out specific negative linkages among groups.

Question 19

Collective decision making is an antecedent of conflict.

Question 20

According to researcher done on workplace incivility,customers who saw employee-to-employee incivility generalized negative behavior to others who work for the organization

Question 21

Integrative negotiation calls for a progressive win-win strategy.

Question 22

Work-family conflict can take two distinct forms: work interference with family and family interference with work.

Question 23

_____ is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party.

A) Groupthink
B) Conflict
C) Ostracism
D) Cross-functionalism
E) Groupshift

Question 24

Research on the Rahim scale found that compromising is the best conflict-handling strategy for every situation.

Question 25

Work groups,departments,or organizations experiencing too little conflict tend to be plagued by:

A) lack of creativity.
B) lack of teamwork.
C) political infighting.
D) dissatisfaction.
E) turnover.

Question 26

Excessive conflict can erode organizational performance because of:

A) missed deadlines.
B) indecision.
C) lack of creativity.
D) apathy.
E) lack of teamwork.

Question 27

A major drawback of the conflict handling style of compromising is that "winning the debate" may overshadow the issue at hand.

Question 28

Workplace aggression and violence can be manifestations of:

A) zero conflict.
B) too little conflict.
C) too much conflict.
D) lack of direction.
E) lack of productivity.

Question 29

Which of the following statements about organizational conflict is true?

A) It can escalate or de-escalate.
B) Sources of conflict involve real issues and are hardly ever imaginary in nature.
C) Human relationists recognize the inevitability of conflict and advise managers to avoid it.
D) It can have only negative outcomes.
E) It can erode organizational performance when not present.

Question 30

Who recognized the inevitability of conflict and advised managers to learn to live with it?

A) Organizational behavior specialists
B) Human relationists
C) Scientific management experts
D) TQM advocates
E) Quantitative model theorists

Question 31

Who amongst the following initially believed that all conflict ultimately threatens management's authority and thus had to be avoided or quickly resolved?

A) Organizational behavior specialists
B) Human relationists
C) Scientific management experts
D) TQM advocates
E) Quantitative model theorists

Question 32

The primary strength of the integrating style of handling conflict is that it is speedily implemented.

Question 33

In added-value negotiation,building relationships for future negotiations usually occurs during the "perfect the deal" step.

Question 34

Devil's advocacy is an attempt to synthesize truths by exploring opposite positions.

Question 35

The dialectic method involves an approach to programmed conflict that is intended to generate reality testing and critical thinking.

Question 36

_____ conflict serves organizational interests and is characterized by consultative interactions,a focus on the issues,mutual respect,and useful give and take.

A) Dysfunctional
B) Negative
C) Personality
D) Functional
E) Intergroup

Question 37

Obliging is an appropriate conflict-handling strategy for resolving complex issues plagued by misunderstanding.

Question 38

Apathy,lack of creativity,indecision,and missed deadlines are signs of:

A) company growth.
B) productivity.
C) zero conflict.
D) too little conflict.
E) too much conflict.

Question 39

When a conflict threatens an organization's interests,it is referred to as a(n)_____ conflict.

A) dysfunctional
B) positive
C) personality
D) functional
E) value systems

Question 40

An arbitrator is someone who works for the organization,is widely respected and trusted by his/her coworkers,hears grievances on a confidential basis,and attempts to arrange solutions.

Question 41

Group conflict can often be reduced by making decisions on the basis of _____ rather than:

A) a consensus; authoritative approval.
B) authoritative approval; striving for a consensus.
C) majority approval; striving for a consensus.
D) randomness; authoritative approval.
E) authoritative approval; majority approval.

Question 42

Interpersonal opposition driven by personal dislike or disagreement is called _____ conflict.

A) Intergroup
B) Cross-cultural
C) Organizational
D) Functional
E) Personality

Question 43

Which of the following have sociologists long recommended for reducing intergroup conflict?

A) Contact hypothesis
B) Intergroup competition for limited resources
C) Enhancing personality conflicts
D) Identify and encourage specific linkages among groups
E) Ignore in-group thinking

Question 44

The top priority for managers faced with intergroup conflict is to:

A) encourage friendships.
B) build more teams and prepare employees for cross-functional work.
C) identify and root out specific negative linkages among groups.
D) foster positive attitudes.
E) reward consensus decision making.

Question 45

Which of the following was identified in Tung's research as a useful way to facilitate interaction with host-country nationals?

A) Emphasize cooperation rather than competition.
B) Advocate directive leadership.
C) Influence rather than simply compromise.
D) Emphasize similarities to please the host-country nationals.
E) Have an unquestionable belief in the morality of the host-country nationals.

Question 46

As operations head whose employees are having a personality conflict,which of the following tips would you offer them?

A) Involve co-workers in the conflict.
B) If appropriate,take corrective action.
C) Refrain from using penalties for misconduct in order to avoid legal action.
D) Refer difficult conflicts to the parties' direct supervisors.
E) Even if necessary,do not attempt informal dispute resolution.

Question 47

Having taken this OB class and learned about how to deal with personality conflict,what tip would you offer an employee having a personality conflict?

A) In resolving conflict,focus on personalities.
B) Bring co-workers into the conflict so you have witnesses.
C) Communicate directly with the other person to resolve the perceived conflict.
D) Keep the direct supervisor out of the conflict loop,especially if the dysfunctional conflict persists.
E) Deal with personality conflicts by ignoring them.

Question 48

Which of the following is a desired outcome for success in terms of conflict management?

A) Power
B) Learning
C) Diluted relationships
D) Self-sufficiency
E) Dependence

Question 49

As a manager of a 50-person department,Rhea has always heard that there are certain situations that produce more conflict than others.She is interested in learning about these situations so she can carefully read early warnings and take appropriate actions.Which of the following is NOT an antecedent of conflict?

A) Inadequate communication
B) Organizational simplicity
C) Decision making by consensus
D) Unmet expectations
E) Overlapping job boundaries

Question 50

Dean Tjosvold's _____ model includes the three desired outcomes of agreement,stronger relationships,and learning.

A) cooperative conflict
B) dialectic
C) contact
D) negotiation
E) cross-cultural

Question 51

According to ____,the more the members of different groups interact,the less intergroup conflict they will experience.

A) groupthink advocates
B) contact hypothesis
C) cohesiveness critics
D) scientific management
E) devil's advocacy theory

Question 52

According to Rosalie L.Tung's research,which of the following was ranked most useful in building cross-cultural relationships?

A) Advocate command-and-control leadership
B) Build rapport through conversations
C) Be sensitive to needs of others
D) Avoid conflict by emphasizing harmony
E) Be a good listener

Question 53

Which of the following actions is recommended for managers to minimize intergroup conflict?

A) Formal resolution of difficult conflicts with the help of hired counselors.
B) Passive withdrawal from the problem.
C) Active suppression of the issue.
D) Generation of ideas based on personal preference or political interests.
E) Minimization of differences and emphasis on similarities to please the other party.

Question 54

Too much _____ can breed groupthink because a desire to get along pushes aside critical thinking.

A) ostracism
B) critical thinking
C) cross-functionalism
D) personality conflict
E) cohesiveness

Question 55

Which of the following is considered to be the seeds of personality conflict?

A) Workplace incivility
B) Competition for limited resources
C) Collective decision making
D) In-group thinking
E) Ethnocentrism

Question 56

Which of the following is described as the seeds of intergroup conflict?

A) Collective decision making
B) Workplace incivility
C) Organizational simplicity
D) In-group thinking
E) Low-intensity deviant behavior

Question 57

Which of the following does NOT break the vicious cycle of incivility?

A) Ignoring cycles of incivility
B) Penalties for misconduct
C) Diversity training
D) Constructive feedback
E) Positive reinforcement

Question 58

U.S.managers often are culturally characterized as being:

A) harmonizers.
B) good listeners.
C) sensitive to others needs.
D) excessively competitive.
E) compassionate.

Question 59

All of the following are true of in-groups EXCEPT:

A) in-group members see themselves as a collection of unique individuals.
B) in-groups see themselves as morally correct and others as immoral.
C) in-groups see themselves positively and others negatively.
D) in-groups view outsiders as a threat.
E) in-group members downplay the differences between their group and other groups.

Question 60

Tjosvold's cooperative conflict model calls for which of the following desired outcomes?

A) Simplicity
B) Efficiency
C) Agreement
D) Effectiveness
E) Self-efficacy

Question 61

Unlike a(n)____,a mediator does not render a decision.

A) peer reviewer
B) arbitrator
C) ombudsman
D) negotiator
E) devil's advocate

Question 62

Which conflict-handling style involves active suppression of the issue?

A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Obliging
D) Integrating
E) Compromising

Question 63

What is the main consideration when using devil's advocacy to prevent groupthink in an organization?

A) It makes people overly analytical.
B) It is too expensive a technique to employ.
C) It makes people move away from reality testing.
D) It leads to an individual developing a negative reputation.
E) It leads to escalation of commitment across multiple decisions.

Question 64

_____ refers to avoiding costly lawsuits by resolving conflicts informally or through mediation or arbitration.

A) Smoothing
B) Alternative dispute resolution
C) Value-added negotiation
D) Dissention
E) Preferential conflict settlement

Question 65

Which of the following is NOT a conflict-handling style identified by Rahim?

A) Limiting
B) Obliging
C) Dominating
D) Avoiding
E) Integrating

Question 66

Which of the following styles involves playing down differences while emphasizing commonality?

A) Avoiding
B) Integrating
C) Compromising
D) Dominating
E) Obliging

Question 67

Janice,a team lead,always wants to use the integrating style of handling conflict.As a student of OB,you should caution Janice that this style does have a weakness,which is that it:

A) often breeds resentment.
B) is a temporary fix that fails to confront the problem.
C) can stifle creative problem solving.
D) is very time consuming.
E) cannot be used for complex issues plagued by misunderstanding.

Question 68

Which of the following styles has a primary strength of encouraging cooperation,but fails to confront the underlying problem?

A) Avoiding
B) Integrating
C) Compromising
D) Dominating
E) Obliging

Question 69

If Miriam has high concern for self and low concern for others,she is likely to have which of the following conflict-handling styles?

A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Obliging
D) Integrating
E) Compromising

Question 70

Which of the following is an alternative dispute resolution tactic?

A) Devil's advocacy
B) Smoothing
C) Forcing
D) Ombudsman
E) Integrating

Question 71

In handling conflict,Joey believes that the concerned parties must tackle the issue and cooperatively identify the problem,generate and weigh alternative solutions,and select a solution.Joey can be described as advocating which conflict-handling style?

A) Obliging
B) Integrating
C) Dominating
D) Avoiding
E) Compromising

Question 72

Which of the following is a drawback of organizational response to work-family issues?

A) Organizations focus on the importance of work-family balance across generations rather than the employee and his/her spouse.
B) Proactive discussions of potential work-family conflicts with colleagues and superiors prior to their occurrence.
C) Organizations focus on beginning work-family balance at home.
D) Organizational culture focuses on family-friendly programs rather than specific programs.
E) Efforts by organizations focus on balancing work-family issues rather than on integrating them.

Question 73

The integrating style of handling conflict is appropriate:

A) for resolving conflicts rooted in opposing value systems.
B) when an unpopular solution must be implemented.
C) for complex issues plagued by misunderstandings.
D) for trivial issues.
E) when a temporary fix is required.

Question 74

According to Rahim's model,the two dimensions affecting conflict-handling styles are:

A) time and money.
B) personality and situation.
C) power and personal style.
D) concern for self and concern for others.
E) effectiveness and efficiency.

Question 75

Gary has been sent to China on an important assignment.According to Tung's research,which of the following is the most useful practice to be followed to facilitate interactions with host-country nationals?

A) Be compassionate and understanding.
B) Advocate inclusive (participative)leadership.
C) Be cooperative,rather than overly competitive.
D) Be a good listener.
E) Avoid conflict by emphasizing harmony.

Question 76

_____ recommended the devil's advocate role for preventing groupthink.

A) Rosalie Tung
B) Frederick Taylor
C) Janis Irving
D) Afzalur Rahim
E) Fred Krupp

Question 77

Conflict that raises different opinions regardless of the personal feelings of the managers is called _____ conflict.

A) personality
B) dysfunctional
C) contact
D) cross-cultural
E) programmed

Question 78

Which of the following calls for managers to foster a structured debate of opposing viewpoints prior to making a decision?

A) Devil's advocacy
B) Peer review
C) Dialectic
D) Smoothing
E) Arbitration

Question 79

The _____ style of handling conflict is appropriate when parties have opposite goals or possess equal power.

A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Obliging
D) Integrating
E) Compromising

Question 80

Which of the following conflict-handling styles is also known as problem solving?

A) Obliging
B) Integrating
C) Dominating
D) Avoiding
E) Compromising