Deck 11: Managing Conflict

Question 1

Assessing conflict may be accomplished by:

A) Identifying individual contributions
B) Assessing the working of the overall system
C) Determining recurring patterns inside the system
D) All of the above

Answer 1

D

Question 2

We will most likely adopt a(n)________ style if we have a low concern for self and high concern for others.

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

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following theories of conflict holds that people evaluate their interpersonal relationships in terms of their value?

A) Attribution theory
B) Systems theory
C) Social exchange theory
D) Evaluation theory

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The collaboration approach to conflict is ________ on assertiveness and ________ on cooperation.

A) Low; low
B) High; low
C) Low; high
D) High; high

Question 5

The more we ________ other people,the more ________ we will be of their motives in conflicts.

A) Trust; certain
B) Disappoint; uncertain
C) Trust; uncertain
D) Disappoint; certain

Question 6

Becky tends to focus on what she has given up rather than on what has been gained.What is most likely her approach to conflict?

A) Compromise
B) Avoidance
C) Accommodation
D) Collaboration

Question 7

Emotional reaction such as anger,hostility,frustration,pain,or anxiety is most likely to occur during which stage of conflict?

A) Frustration
B) Conceptualization
C) Behavior
D) Outcome

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a principle of healthy conflict?

A) Create meaningful conversation
B) Make it material
C) Focus on the future
D) Pursue a noble purpose

Question 9

The most common source of internal conflict in an organization is insufficient or unsatisfactory ________.

A) Consequences
B) Rewards
C) Communication
D) Leadership

Question 10

Which of the following is a way in which individuals might approach conflict?

A) Competition
B) Collaboration
C) Avoidance
D) All of the above

Question 11

Conflicts based on ________ tend to be highly emotional and difficult to resolve.

A) Information deficiencies
B) Personal differences
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress

Question 12

________ has been found to be an initial predictor of poor performance.

A) Satisfaction
B) Complacency
C) Contentment
D) Anxiety

Question 13

Jonathan is interested in his own position and views the world as a zero-sum game with winners and losers.What is most likely his approach to conflict?

A) Competition
B) Avoidance
C) Accommodation
D) Collaboration

Question 14

Social service organizations with workers with heavy caseloads have unusually high turnover rates.This is an example of which of the following sources of conflict?

A) Personal differences
B) Information deficiencies
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress

Question 15

High levels of conflict on city councils were associated with:

A) Stress
B) Diminished performance
C) Failure
D) All of the above

Question 16

Taking action to satisfy the other party's needs and concerns is known as:

A) Assertiveness
B) Cooperativeness
C) Supportiveness
D) Aggressiveness

Question 17

According to Wagner and Hollenbeck,which of the following is a benefit of conflict?

A) Conflict lessens social tensions
B) Conflict supplies feedback
C) Conflict helps to stimulate innovation
D) All of the above

Question 18

The avoidance approach to conflict is ________ on assertiveness and ________ on cooperation.

A) Low; low
B) High; low
C) Low; high
D) High; high

Question 19

When employees are ________,morale tends to be low and the amount of conflict increases.

A) Complacent
B) Anxious
C) Punished
D) Overwhelmed

Question 20

Employees in a local government garbage collection unit believed that promotions were given only to those who belonged to the after-hours bowling team.This is an example of which of the following sources of conflict?

A) Personal differences
B) Information deficiencies
C) Role incompatibility
D) Environmental stress

Question 21

Culture is fairly stagnant and does not evolve over time.

Question 22

Generational differences are a potential source of conflict in the work place.

Question 23

People tend to give reasons such as unstable causes,judgments,and environmental conditions rather than recognize that their own behavior is contributing to the conflicts.

Question 24

Many managers feel too secure to stir up conflict among their subordinates.

Question 25

Discuss what happens to conflicts as relationships become closer,more personal,and more interdependent.What are implications for public organizations?

Question 26

"Conflict intelligence" is defined as the ability to read conflict situations and respond to ways that can resolve the conflict.

Question 27

Compare and contrast the theories of conflict.What are some advantages and disadvantages of each? Discuss,providing relevant examples where appropriate.

Question 28

Avoiding disputes or refraining from direct confrontation with conflict issues in a formal or public sphere has been found to be a prevailing mode of conflict management by members of majority groups.

Question 29

Describe how you deal with conflict? What does that say about your personality? Are you more likely to accommodate or avoid confrontations?

Question 30

Issues that are worth conflict connect people with a sense of purpose beyond self-interest.

Question 31

"Principled" negotiation among parties contrasts with "positional" negotiation by:

A) Separating people from the problem
B) Asking the why and why not questions
C) Brainstorming solutions
D) All of the above

Question 32

While Nelson Mandela served as a political prisoner and then as president of South Africa,he exhibited the conflict-management strategy of domination.

Question 33

According to the attribution theory of conflict,satisfied individuals are more likely to attribute the causes of their problems to flaws in other parties or in their situations.

Question 34

Systems theory urges that conflict be viewed as one aspect of a larger system of interactions.

Question 35

Until the 1940s,the role of the manager was to eliminate conflict in the workplace,usually by punishing the perceived initiators.

Question 36

Which of the following are considered the main types of conflicts encountered by public managers?

A) Intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and intragroup
B) Intrapersonal, interpersonal, intergroup, and team conflict
C) Intrapersonal, interpersonal, team, and generational
D) None of the above

Question 37

Conflict can be extremely beneficial to the workplace.

Question 38

The competition approach to conflict is low on assertiveness and low on cooperation.

Question 39

Discuss the various sources of conflict.Which are easiest to resolve and which are the most difficult?

Question 40

What are approaches a manager can use in engaging in constructive conflict?

A) Reflect, get feedback, gradually correct the problem
B) Reflect, get feedback, immediately correct the problem
C) Conflict is normal but can only be addressed by punishing the initiators
D) None of the above

Question 41

Discuss the common mistakes in negotiation.Why are good listening skills important in negotiations?

Question 42

The public administrator often is placed in the role of deciding among conflicting priorities and is drawn into the center of the conflict.Why is this so? What can an administrator do in these situations?

Question 43

Describe the stages of conflict.What occurs at each stage? How can conflict be managed effectively during each of the stages? Discuss,providing relevant examples where appropriate.