Chapter 11

Question 1

Describe conflict

Answer 1

The process in which one party perceives that its interest are being opposed or negatively affected by another party

Question 2

Negative consequences of Conflict

Answer 2

-lower performance
-higher stress, dissatisfaction, and turnover
-decreased information sharing and coordination
-increased organizational politics
-wasted resources
-weakened team cohesion (for internal team member conflict)

Question 3

Positive consequences of Conflict

Answer 3

-Better decision making
-tests logic of arguments
-questions assumptions
- generates creative thinking
-more responsive to changing environment
-stronger team cohesion (for teams conflicting against each other)

Question 4

Should companies try for a zero conflict environment?

Answer 4

no, a certain level of conflict is good, extremes are bad though

Question 5

Describe a task conflict, is task conflict good?

Answer 5

a type of conflict in which people focus their discussion around the issue in which different viewpoints occur while showing respect for people involved in that disagreement

Yes, it can produce better decision making, there is an upper limit were it can get out of hand

Question 6

Describe a relationship conflict, is relationship conflict good?

Answer 6

a type of conflict in which people focus their discussion on the qualities of the people in the dispute, rather than on the qualities of the ideas presented regarding a task-related issue

No, it causes dysfunction and undermines individual self-esteem

Question 7

Explain what three conditions can minimize relational conflict and how they work

Answer 7

Emotional Intelligence
- allows for better emotional regulation
- understanding of others’ emotional reaction and their legitimacy

Team development
-strong social identity forms among members
-less likely to misinterpret other team members
-motivation to reduce things that threaten team stability

Norms supporting psychological safety
- allows people to take risks when presenting ideas
- general respect and value for people and ideas
- not fearful of personal scrutiny that damages self-concept

Question 8

Why might conflict occur do to differentiation?

Answer 8

Though the desired goal could be the same individuals will have different ideas for best achieving said goal

generational diversity could also cause conflict due to different expectations and behaviours

A merger is also possible do to different professional experience

Question 9

What are the different types of interdependence what is the risk of conflict with them? (3)

Answer 9

Pooled interdependence relationships
-shared common resource
-generally low conflict risk

Sequential Interdependence
- assembly line work style
- high conflict risk

Reciprocal Interdependence
- high risk of interfering with others objectives

Question 10

List the sources of conflict

Answer 10

Incompatible Goals
Differentiation
Interdependence
Scarce Resources
Ambiguous Rules
Communication Problems

Question 11

What are the 5 interpersonal conflict handling styles, what are they based off?

Answer 11

The model is based off Assertiveness and cooperation

Forcing
Problem-Solving
Compromising
Avoiding
Yielding

Question 12

When should you use the problem solving approach, what are the problems with this style

Answer 12

-Interests are not perfectly
opposing (i.e., not pure
win–lose)
-Parties have trust,
-openness, and time to share
information
-The issues are complex

-other party could use information shared to their advantage

Question 13

When should you use the Forcing approach, what are the problems with this style

Answer 13

-Dispute requires a quick
solution
-Your position objectively
has a much stronger logical
or moral foundation
-The other party would take
advantage of more
cooperative strategies

-Highest risk of relationship
conflict
-May damage long-term
relations, reducing future
problem-solving success

Question 14

When should you use the avoiding approach, what are the problems with this style

Answer 14

-Conflict has become too
emotionally charged
-Parties want to maintain a
harmonious relationship
-Cost of trying to resolve the
conflict outweighs the
benefits

-Doesn’t usually resolve the
conflict
-May increase uncertainty
and frustration

Question 15

When should you use the Yielding approach, what are the problems with this style

Answer 15

-Issue is much less
important to you than to
the other party
-The value and logic of your
position isn’t as clear
-Parties want to maintain a
harmonious relationship
-The other party has
substantially more power

-Increases other party’s
expectations in future
conflict episodes

Question 16

When should you use the Compromising approach, what are the problems with this style

Answer 16

-Single-issue conflict with
opposing interests
-Parties lack time or trust
for problem solving
-Parties want to maintain a
harmonious relationship
-Parties have equal power

-Suboptimal solution where
mutual gains are possible

Question 17

What are the types of third party intervention, explain them?

Answer 17

Arbitration. Arbitrators have high control over the final decision, but low control over the
process. Executives engage in this strategy by following previously agreed rules of due
process, listening to arguments from the disputing employees, and making a binding
decision. Arbitration is applied as the final stage of grievances by unionized employees in
many countries, but it is also applied to nonunion conflicts in organizations with formal
conflict resolution processes.

Inquisition. Inquisitors control all discussion about the conflict. Like arbitration, the
inquisition process has high decision control because it involves choosing the form of
conflict resolution. However, it also has high process control because inquisitors choose
which information to examine and how to examine it, and they generally decide how the
conflict resolution process will be handled

Mediation. Mediators have high control over the intervention process. In fact, their main
purpose is to manage the process and context of interaction between the disputing parties.
However, the conflicting parties make the final decision about how to resolve their
differences. Thus, mediators have little or no control over the conflict resolution decision

Question 18

What is BATNA?

Answer 18

Best alternative to a negotiated agreement:
The best outcome you might achieve through some other course of action if you abandon the current negotiation