Deck 14: Managing Conflict, Power, and Politics

Question 1

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

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

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Attitudinal structuring is:

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

Answer 2

D

Question 3

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)Latent conflict
D)Manifest conflict

Answer 3

B

Question 4

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

Question 5

Which of the following is not a source of power?

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

Question 6

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

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

Question 7

A lower- level manager has a top manager as a mentor. This political tactic is called _ .

A)associating with powerful managers
B)controlling the agenda
C)increasing centrality
D)increasing nonsubstitutability

Question 8

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

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

Question 9

Centrality refers to:

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

Question 10

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

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

Question 11

"Gatekeepers" have power stemming from _ .

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

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

Co- optation is .

A)a way to manage coalitions
B)a source of power
C)a way to increase authority
D)a way to increase nonsubstitutability

Question 15

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 16

Conflict can be beneficial because:

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

Question 17

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 politics
D)Organizational conflict

Question 18

Manager A supports Manager B on an issue of interest to B in return for B supporting A an issue of interest to A. These managers are:

A)creating a coalition
B)increasing indispensability
C)increasing nonsubstitutability.
D)creating a situation ripe for manifest conflict.

Question 19

The benefits of politics depends on the assumption that power flows:

A)from the bottom up.
B)to those who can help the organization.
C)from the top down.
D)from stakeholders.

Question 20

CEOs are reluctant to give up power because:

A)they form coalitions.
B)they feel they can turn the company around.
C)they get along with external stakeholders.
D)they want to give up property rights.

Question 21

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

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

Question 22

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)Felt
B)Latent
C)Perceived
D)Manifest

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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

Question 25

Supervisors hold onto power by .

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

Question 26

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

Question 27

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

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

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

The method chosen to manage conflict depends on:

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

Question 30

The negative side of conflict includes all except:

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

Question 31

Passive aggressiveness occurs in which stage of conflict?

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

Question 32

Bringing in an outside expert is a tactic to:

A)present a neutral point of view.
B)present the view of the coalition in power.
C)present an objective point of view.
D)shed new light on the conflict.

Question 33

A coalition is .

A)built around trade- offs
B)an attachment to a powerful person
C)a task relationship
D)built on conflict

Question 34

Conflict arises when stakeholders .

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

Question 35

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

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

Question 36

Controlling the agenda is way of .

A)forming a coalition
B)decentralizing decision- making
C)influencing decision- making
D)allocating resources

Question 37

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

A)Power reduces conflict and politics increase conflict.
B)Politics has no effect on power.
C)Politics increase power.
D)Politics decrease power.

Question 38

Manifest conflict typically:

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

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

To gain the benefits of organizational politics, an organization should .

A)centralize decision- making
B)establish a balance of power
C)control the agenda
D)not allow subunits to bargaining

Question 41

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

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

Question 42

Controlling the premises of decision making is called .

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

Question 43

The power of doctors in a hospital stems from _.

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

Question 44

How did politics play a role in GM's reorganization of the hierarchy?

A)Managers with nonsubstitutability were promoted to top positions.
B)Managers previously empowered were now forced to answer to a centralized board.
C)The board of directors used authority to remove most of top management.
D)Coalitions were formed at the subunit level that had to be broken down.

Question 45

The goal of empowerment is not to:

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

Question 46

Building alliances with important customers is a valuable tactic because:

A)stakeholders share goals.
B)external linkages can provide power.
C)control of information provides power.
D)common ties are a source of power.

Question 47

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

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

Question 48

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 49

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

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

Question 50

Scientists who invent drugs derive power from .

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

Question 51

Politics can improve effectiveness by:

A)not allowing managers to advance objectives.
B)improving the quality of decision- making.
C)discouraging debate.
D)forming coalitions.

Question 52

Which of the following statements about authority is true?

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

Question 53

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

Question 54

Because of abuses of power, institutional shareholders want to increase:

A)the power of CEOs.
B)the property rights of CEOs.
C)decision- making of CEOs.
D)shareholders' rights to control CEOs.

Question 55

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)Controlling the agenda
D)Increasing control over resources

Question 56

Organizational power does not include:

A)the ability of one person to overcome resistance.
B)the ability to eliminate conflict.
C)the ability to resolve conflict.
D)the ability to achieve a desired result.

Question 57

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

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

Question 58

The power of a particular department increases when it:

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

Question 59

Organizational politics are:

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

Question 60

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

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

Question 61

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

Question 62

Legitimate power comes from which of the following sources?

A)Control over information
B)Control over resources
C)Authority
D)Controlling the premises of decision- making

Question 63

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

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

Question 64

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

Question 65

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

Question 66

Failure to manage conflict hurts an organization's culture.

Question 67

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

Question 68

According to Pondy, felt conflict comes immediately after .

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

Question 69

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

Question 70

Conflict can either overcome inertia or cause inertia.

Question 71

CEOs usually resign when their performance is poor.

Question 72

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 73

A CEO of a new organization says that he refuses to engage in politics and that he does not want any conflict in his company. What problems do you see with this attitude?

Question 74

One cause of conflict is subunits that have different goals.

Question 75

You are a consultant to a shoe manufacturer. You observe that the manufacturing function views marketing as the enemy and vice versa. This organization has grown rapidly and still has a functional structure. What stage is this conflict in, and what can be done to manage this conflict?

Question 76

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

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

Question 77

The CEO of a video company favors a low- cost strategy, but the Chief Operating Officer favors a differentiation strategy. The company has pursued a differentiation strategy, and the CEO does not understand how this could happen, because he has more authority. What would you say to this CEO?

Question 78

An element of coercion is involved in the use of power.

Question 79

The primary source of conflict between Kodak's CEO, Kay Whitmore, and former Chief Operating Officer, Christopher Steffen, stemmed from:

A)incompatible performance criteria.
B)differences in ideas about how to achieve company goals.
C)task responsibilities.
D)task interdependence.

Question 80

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