CH 7: Managing conflict

Question 1

With regard to conflict, the task of an effective manager is to encourage conflict as a means to get a high level of performance from subordinates.

Answer 1

FALSE

Question 2

In managing conflict, a manager must be able to understand how cultural differences and other diversity issues may affect the situation.

Answer 2

TRUE

Question 3

A recent trend is an increasing acceptance of the intellectual value of conflict accompanied by a tendency to embrace it as a means to achieve organizational goals.

Answer 3

FALSE

Question 4

Research indicates that people-focused conflicts threaten relationships, whereas issue-based conflicts enhance relationships.

Answer 4

TRUE

Question 5

Issue-focused conflicts are similar to rational negotiations, which can be viewed as an interpersonal decision-making process by which two or more people agree how to allocate scarce resources.

Answer 5

TRUE

Question 6

Diversity in the workplace could result in interpersonal conflict based on role incompatibility.

Answer 6

FALSE

Question 7

Maria is from Mexico and Elaine is from Canada; they are customer service representatives. At least twice weekly, they get into an argument over how to handle a customer complaint. The most likely source of their conflict is personal differences.

Answer 7

TRUE

Question 8

When the conflict stems from information deficiency, the conflict is easy to resolve because of the intervention of a third party.

Answer 8

FALSE

Question 9

a new third shift and a reallocation of responsibilities among the managers. Conflict ensued based on the uncertainty of who was going to have to work the third shift. The most likely source of the conflict in this situation is role incompatibility.

Answer 9

FALSE

Question 10

You feel vindicated, but others may feel defeated and possibly humiliated. The approach you probably used to resolve the conflict is forcing.

Answer 10

TRUE

Question 11

As the new manager of purchasing, your goal is to keep the peace, instill harmony, and make sure
no one creates any waves. The type of conflict response you are most likely to use is avoidance

Answer 11

FALSE

Question 12

Your peer in the shipping department has asked you to work this weekend in her place. You tell her you will have to think about it. The type of conflict response you have used is avoidance .

Answer 12

TRUE

Question 13

You have been told that each department’s budget is to be cut by 6 percent for the next fiscal management is using a compromising approach to resolve potential conflicts quarter. Top management stated this was the fairest approach, given declining sales. Top management is using a compromising approach to resolve potential conflicts.

Answer 13

TRUE

Question 14

Although distributive negotiators assume an adversarial, competitive posture, the distributive perspective focuses on finding the best solution for both parties, rather than picking between the parties’ preferred solutions.

Answer 14

FALSE

Question 15

Recent research indicates that gender differences are only moderately correlated with conflict management style preferences.

Answer 15

TRUE

Question 16

The relevant situational factors to be used in selecting the most appropriate conflict management approach include the importance of the issue and the relationship, the relative power of the parties, and time constraints.

Answer 16

TRUE

Question 17

In selecting a format to mediate a conflict, the mediator must assess the position of the disputants (are they both aware a problem exists?), the nature of the relationship, and the nature of the problem.

Answer 17

TRUE

Question 18

The bottom line about conflict is (1) it stimulates innovation and encourages personal involvement, (2) it stifles innovation and encourages political game playing that results in cynicism, and (3) it sparks creativity. Which statements are correct?
A) All three statements are correct.
B) Only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
C) Only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
D) Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
E) Only statement 3 is correct.

Answer 18

D

Question 19

What does research suggest about conflict?
A) Conflict in the group causes the group’s performance to improve and group members feel comfortable with it.
B) Conflict in the group causes the group’s performance to decline and group members feel uncomfortable with it.
c) Conflict in the group causes the group’s performance to improve and group members feel.uncomfortable with it

Answer 19

C

Question 20

Which of the following is not one of the “rules of engagement” for effective conflict management?
A) Work with less information
B) Focus on the facts
C) Share commonly agreed-upon goals
D) Interject humor into the decision process
E) Maintain a balanced power structure

Answer 20

A

Question 21

The four sources of conflict are (1) personality-defect, (2) informational deficiency, (3) role incompatibility, and (4) environmental stress. Which sources are correct?
A) All the sources indicated are correct.
B) All are correct except source 1.
C) All are correct except source 4.
D) Only sources 2 and 3 are correct.

Answer 21

B

Question 22

Which source of conflict is one of the more difficult to resolve?
A) Personal differences
B) Informational deficiency
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress

Answer 22

A

Question 23

You recently hired individuals from China, Japan, and Korea to your office. What type of interpersonal conflict would be most likely?
A) Personal differences
B) Informational deficiency
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
E) There would be no conflict, as all the new hires are Asian.

Answer 23

A

Question 24

You manage individuals from many different countries and cultures. A manager remarks, “Well, they may be from different cultures but within the organization there is only one culture you need to worry about, the organization’s culture.” How should you respond to this statement ?
A) You should agree with the statement made by the manager.
B) You should disagree with the statement made by the manager.
C) There is not enough information to decide.

Answer 24

B

Question 25

In trying to determine a course of action, it becomes apparent that part of the team had used data supplied by the VP of Finance whereas others on the team had their data supplied from the VP of Marketing. What was a likely source for this conflict?
A) Personal differences
B) Informational deficiency
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress

Answer 25

B

Question 26

How can disagreements between line and staff generally be resolved?
A) Repairing the breakdown in the communication/information system
B) Intervention of an objective third party
C) The mediation of a common superior
D) Redesigning their jobs

Answer 26

C

Question 27

What would conflicts between people in the production and sales departments likely be based on?
A) Personal differences
B) Informational deficiency
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
E) Personality-defect theory

Answer 27

C

Question 28

Downsizing encourages which type of interpersonal conflict?
A) Personal differences
B) Information deficiency
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
E) Personality-defect theory

Answer 28

D

Question 29

Budget fights (people must do more with less) introduce which source of conflict into the situation?
A) Personal differences
B) Informational deficiency
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress
E) Personality-defect theory

Answer 29

D

Question 30

Which statement is true about conflict stemming from uncertainty about the work environment due to rapid, repeated change?
A) This is the most difficult type of conflict to resolve because of the nature of change.
B) This is intense and increases as the change becomes routine.
C) This is intense and dissipates quickly as the change becomes routine.
D) This is not intense and most find the experience very mellow.

Answer 30

C

Question 31

The problem is likely to be resolved. Also, all parties involved are committed to the solution and satisfied that they have been treated fairly. You probably utilized which conflict approach?
A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Compromising
D) Accommodating
E) Collaborating

Answer 31

E

Question 32

The facade is that this conflict response style appears to accomplish a great deal; however, in the long run, the hostility and resentment this approach creates quickly reverses what was accomplished in the short term. Which conflict style is this?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 32

A

Question 33

If you care more about the relationship than the issue, what conflict response would you most likely use?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 33

B

Question 34

If the norm in the office is “to go along to get along,” which conflict response is being utilized?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising

Answer 34

B

Question 35

You believe your new co-worker, Greg, has taken advantage of you in a conflict resolution setting. What approach to resolving conflicts are you most likely to have used?
A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Compromising
D) Accommodating
E) Collaborating

Answer 35

D

Question 36

You have been arguing with co-workers about a policy. If your boss accuses you of undermining the harmony of the group, which conflict response is he/she probably practicing?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 36

C

Question 37

What does repeated use of the avoiding response to conflict management lead to?
A) Win-win situations
B) Frustration, because issues do not get resolved
C) Both parities receiving “half a loaf”
D) Avoidance of blame and resolution of the problem

Answer 37

B

Question 38

Leslie listened to Marco’s plea that the team adopt his favorite project. She had serious misgivings about it, but didn’t want to rock the boat. So she said, “Whatever. We’ll just do it your way, Marco. What should I do next?” Leslie has just adopted which conflict management strategy?
A) Avoiding
B) Accommodating
C) Capitulating
D) Compromise

Answer 38

B

Question 39

Interpersonal problems don’t get resolved, resulting in high levels of frustration. You probably used which approach to resolve conflicts?
A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Compromising
D) Accommodating
E) Collaborating

Answer 39

B

Question 40

Participants become conditioned to seek expedient, rather than effective, solutions. You are probably using which approach to resolve conflict?
A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Compromising
D) Accommodating
E) Collaborating

Answer 40

C

Question 41

Your company is downsizing. If you advocate a plan to lay off employees equally from each department (10 percent from marketing, 10 percent from production, etc.), which response to conflict are you using?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 41

D

Question 42

Which statement is a possible rationale for using the compromising approach to conflict management?
A) Disagreements are inherently bad because they create tension.
B) Maintaining harmonious relationships should be the manager’s top priority.
C) It is better to risk causing a few hard feelings than to abandon an issue to which you are committed.
D) Prolonged conflicts distract people from their work and engender bad feelings so you ask both parties to make sacrifices to move forward.

Answer 42

D

Question 43

If subordinates are continually told to “split the difference,” what may they conclude?
A) That their manager is more interested in solving problems than in resolving disputes
B) That their manager is avoiding the issue
C) That their manager encourages game playing and that what they should really do is ask for twice as much as they need
D) That their manager discourages game playing and that what they should really do is ask for only what they need

Answer 43

C

Question 44

Which approach is the only conflict management strategy that resolves the problem, the only one that is viewed as win-win?
A) Forcing
B) Avoiding
C) Accommodating
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 44

E

Question 45

If you have an extremely low tolerance of ambiguity and it is important to you that you get your way on something, which conflict response alternative would you probably use?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 45

A

Question 46

The difference between distributive negotiation strategies and integrative negotiation strategies is that (1) distributive strategies focus on expanding the pie and integrative strategies focus on dividing the pie, (2) distributive strategies focus on dividing the pie and integrative strategies on expanding the pie, and (3) distributive strategies rely sometimes on the compromise approach and integrative strategies rely on the collaborating approach. Which statements are correct?
A) All three statements are correct.
B) Only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
C) Only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
D) Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
E) Only statement 3 is correct.

Answer 46

C

Question 47

The difference between distributive and integrative negotiations is that
A) Distributive negotiations involve “expanding the pie” and integrative negotiations involve “dividing up the pie.”
B) Distributive negotiations necessitate dividing resources fairly and integrative negotiations necessitate getting everyone to use the same resource regardless of their personal needs.
C) Distributive negotiations invite compromise and integrative negotiations allow for finding new alternatives to satisfy all parties.
D) Distributive negotiations invite collaboration, while integrative negotiations tend to involve accommodation strategies

Answer 47

C

Question 48

What is the focus of compromising, forcing, accommodating, and avoiding approaches to conflict management?
A) Dividing up a “fixed pie”
B) “Expanding the pie”
C) A qualifying approach, somewhere between assertiveness and cooperativeness
D) The Theory Y approach to management

Answer 48

A

Question 49

In discussing a problem you have with a co-worker, you notice that the co-worker acknowledges and agrees with your concerns. However, you believe he agreed with you to terminate the awkward conversation quickly, and you are not sure how sincere he was in acknowledging the problem. He probably used which conflict resolution method?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Collaborating

Answer 49

C

Question 50

Research study results suggest (1) Asian cultures prefer accommodating and forcing more than Western cultures, (2) Americans prefer avoiding more than Asian cultures, and (3) compromise is the most preferred style across cultures. Which statements are correct?
A) All three statements are correct.
B) Only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
C) Only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
D) Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
E) Only statement 3 is correct.

Answer 50

E

Question 51

Reorganization of the manufacturing operations in a pet food company resulted in the addition of a new third shift and a reallocation of responsibilities among the managers. Conflict ensued based on the uncertainty of who was going to have to work the third shift. The most likely source
of the conflict in this situation is role incompatibility.

Answer 51

FALSE

Question 52

You have been told that each department’s budget is to be cut by 6 percent for the next fiscal quarter. Top management stated this was the fairest approach, given declining sales. Top management is using a compromising approach to resolve potential conflicts.

Answer 52

TRUE

Question 53

If time is a moderately significant factor, the relationship with other individual(s) is not critical, and the issue is extremely important to you, you are most likely to use the accommodating approach to handling conflict.

Answer 53

FALSE

Question 54

Compromise is the most appropriate approach when the issues are complex and moderately important, there are no simple solutions, and both parties have a strong interest in different aspects of the problem.

Answer 54

TRUE

Question 55

When the problem is complex, the initiator should initially focus on a simple problem and build up from there.

Answer 55

TRUE

Question 56

As the responder, you should not agree with the complaint if you can’t find anything of substance with which to agree.

Answer 56

FALSE

Question 57

The goal of the mediator is to assess who is responsible.

Answer 57

FALSE

Question 58

According to the results of one research study, what method of resolution was utilized most often by managers?
A) Avoidance
B) Accommodating
C) Collaboration
D) Forcing
E) Compromise

Answer 58

D

Question 59

In effectively handling a conflict, what should you do?
A) Adopt the most appropriate approach based on your dominant personality characteristics.
B) Adopt the most appropriate approach depending on the nature of the conflict.
C) Always choose collaboration.

Answer 59

B

Question 60

In a conflict situation, if the issue is extremely critical and time-sensitive, you are in a position of power, but the relationship is not critical, which conflict response is probably most appropriate?
A) Compromising
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Collaborating
E) Forcing

Answer 60

E

Question 61

A person is probably an ineffective conflict manager if she/he (1) chooses an approach to resolve conflict based on an assessment of the situation, (2) relies on one or two strategies regardless of changing circumstances, and (3) implements the collaborative approach too often. Which statements are true of ineffective conflict management?
A) All three statements are correct.
B) Only statement 2 is correct.
C) Only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
D) Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
E) Only statement 3 is correct.

Answer 61

B

Question 62

The issue involved is very important to you, but you are not too concerned about the relationship you have with the other individual. Which conflict response would you most likely use?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising
E) Collaborating

Answer 62

A

Question 63

Time is a moderately important factor, you have no power, and the ongoing relationship is critical to you. Which conflict response will you most likely use?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Compromising
D) Avoiding

Answer 63

B

Question 64

Time is a moderately significant factor, the issue is not important to you, and the ongoing relationship is not critical. Which conflict response should be used?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising

Answer 64

C

Question 65

If the issue is moderately important to all parties, time is not an issue, but the ongoing relationship has a certain level of importance, which conflict response should be used?
A) Forcing
B) Accommodating
C) Avoiding
D) Compromising

Answer 65

D

Question 66

The collaborating approach should be used when (1) the issue is not critical, (2) the relationship is important, and (3) time is not an issue. Which statements are correct?
A) All three statements are correct.
B) Only statements 1 and 2 are correct.
C) Only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
D) Only statements 2 and 3 are correct.
E) Only statement 1 is correct.

Answer 66

D