Deck 11: Conflict Management

Question 1

Conflicts can be classified as functional or dysfunctional.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

According to the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, "competitors" demonstrate assertive but cooperative behavior.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

One should resist the temptation to solve values conflicts, as it is almost always counterproductive.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Values conflicts tend to focus on disagreements over what a statement or concept means.

Question 5

Conflicts always affect the workplace negatively.

Question 6

A competitor is most likely to try a lose-lose approach to conflict resolution, especially if he or she is personally involved in the conflict.

Question 7

Negotiation-of-selves conflict primarily arises when a conflict factor is built into the structure or the policies of the organization.

Question 8

If you know what type of conflict you are involved in, that knowledge can help you discover how best to resolve it.

Question 9

The main approach in a lose-lose strategy of conflict resolution is compromise.

Question 10

In American business, the workplace contains a greater amount of conflict today than in the past, mainly because of the movement of the United States from an industrial economy to a service-dominated economy.

Question 11

Difficulty with self-definition is typically the source of values conflict.

Question 12

Conflict in a work place is harmful because it can lead to groupthink.

Question 13

In the arbitrary approach of conflict resolution, a conflict manager decides which side is right and which is wrong, then considers the issue to be resolved.

Question 14

According to the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, needs of both parties involved are legitimate and important to the "collaborator."

Question 15

According to the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, avoiders typically say negative things about a conflict they have been involved in if someone else brings it up.

Question 16

Person-versus-group conflict can involve someone who never was a member of the group, but who opposes it.

Question 17

A manager should try whenever possible to change a dysfunctional conflict into a functional one.

Question 18

A potential solution to "negotiation-of-selves" conflict is to build positive and stable self-concept.

Question 19

Institutionalized conflict erupts over differences in self-definition.

Question 20

Democratic vote is a win-win approach to conflict resolution.

Question 21

Which conflict erupts over differences in self-definition?

A)Conflicts arising from differences in values
B)Institutionalized conflict
C)Negotiation-of-selves conflict
D)Conflicts arising from non-fulfillment of self-actualization needs

Question 22

Michael has an argument with his supervisor about whether or not the responsibility he's just been asked to take on is included in his job description. He felt that his job description was ambiguous and the task he was assigned not appropriate for him. In this scenario, Michael is having a content conflict over the:

A)existence of a concept.
B)differences in belief systems.
C)meaning of a concept.
D)differences in self-definitions.

Question 23

According to the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, it is important for a "compromiser" that all parties achieve basic goals and maintain good relationships.

Question 24

One way of dealing effectively with an envious person is to avoid excessive contact with him or her.

Question 25

Passive people are unresponsive because they are very good at screening out irrelevant material.

Question 26

A compromiser generally doesn't feel as much of a need to rush to a solution as a competitor does.

Question 27

Which conflict primarily focuses on disagreements over what a statement or what a concept means?

A)Values conflict
B)Content conflict
C)Institutionalized conflict
D)Negotiation-of-selves conflicts

Question 28

Dennis has received two job offers with attractive employee benefits. He finds it difficult to choose one of the two offers as both offers are equally good. Identify the conflict that Dennis is facing.

A)Inner conflict
B)Dysfunctional conflict
C)Content conflict
D)Negotiation-of-selves conflict

Question 29

Which of the following factors is typically involved in a content conflict?

A)Argument over the existence of an idea
B)Argument over the values of another person
C)Differences in self-definition
D)Differences in belief systems

Question 30

Whiners and complainers are good at taking advantage of sympathetic listeners.

Question 31

A potential solution to the institutionalized conflict is to:

A)build a positive and stable self-concept.
B)revise organizational policies or structure.
C)tolerate value differences.
D)check another source to verify who is right.

Question 32

Which of the following statements is true of an inner conflict?

A)It refers to the conflict between members of the same group.
B)It is always dysfunctional.
C)It primarily involves values, loyalties, and priorities.
D)It takes place when already-formed groups have conflicts with each other.

Question 33

Working with and managing low conformers requires a special capacity for patience and good will.

Question 34

In the context of styles of conflict management, the "compromisers" have the strongest need to rush to the solution because they see "agreement" as more important than the issue itself.

Question 35

Which of the following is a source of values conflict?

A)Disagreement on rightness of ideas
B)Difficulties with self-definition
C)Competition over resources within a company
D)Disagreement on basic beliefs

Question 36

A manager won't be able to change a low conformer any more than he or she is likely to change a high conformer.

Question 37

In an organization, high conformers think independently, solve problems creatively, and often cause some conflict in the process.

Question 38

One way to deal with passive people is to ask open-ended questions.

Question 39

Which of the following conflicts is most likely to occur when a member of a group breaks its rules, or norms?

A)Content conflict
B)Institutionalized conflict
C)Negotiation-of-selves conflict
D)Person-versus-group conflict

Question 40

Rodin and Ian work in the marketing team of their company. Rodin considers Ian a red-tape bureaucrat, while Ian considers Rodin unethical. They often have trouble working together on the same projects. The conflict between Ian and Rodin can be described as:

A)negotiation-of-selves conflict.
B)inner conflict.
C)person-versus-person conflict.
D)content conflict.

Question 41

Which of the following suggestions will be useful in dealing with an envious person at work?

A)Avoid functional conflict with the envious person.
B)Build up the envious person's self-esteem.
C)Avoid confronting the envious person.
D)Engage in concession bargaining.

Question 42

Which of the following practices is most likely to make working with low conformers less problematic?

A)Avoiding excessive contact with the person
B)Forcing them to conform
C)Labeling their method of self-expression as stubbornness
D)Learning to tolerate their honesty

Question 43

Which of the following statements best describes a conflict manager who is an avoider?

A)He or she is someone who would rather not be around conflict at all and values neutrality highly.
B)He or she is someone who is most likely to try a win-lose approach to conflict resolution, especially if he or she is personally involved in the conflict.
C)He or she is someone who uses his or her skills to blend differences and form a workable alternative.
D)He or she is someone who brings both sides involved in a conflict together for a discussion and is most likely to bring about a win-win solution.

Question 44

Which of the following steps is most likely to elicit a meaningful feedback from a passive person?

A)Confronting the person
B)Filling the space during a conversation
C)Making statements to help break the tension
D)Asking close-ended questions

Question 45

According to the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, which style has the highest respect for mutual support?

A)Win-lose style
B)Lose-lose style
C)Avoidance style
D)Problem-solving style

Question 46

Negotiation-of-selves conflict primarily arise:

A)over differences in self-definition.
B)from resources or power within a company.
C)due to non-fulfillment of self-actualization needs.
D)when there is a clash between the basic self-beliefs held by two people.

Question 47

Which of the following is a characteristic of the win-win strategy of conflict resolution?

A)This strategy focuses on compromise where everyone gives up something.
B)This strategy leads to a solution in which both sides feel that they have come out on top.
C)This strategy allows one side of a conflict to win at the expense of the other.
D)This strategy gives little attention to tracing the development of the conflict; thus, the solutions are mostly short term.

Question 48

A conflict manager with a competitor style will:

A)often mistakenly assume that if a conflict involves only other people, it should be left only to them.
B)typically open communication channels and learn about what issues each party feels are most important.
C)most likely try and arrive at a win-win position for all the parties involved.
D)be afraid of the disruption that could result from other people's conflict.

Question 49

Which of the following conflict resolution strategies uses democratic vote as a method to resolve conflicts?

A)Collaborative approach
B)Lose-lose strategy
C)Win-win strategy
D)Win-lose strategy

Question 50

Which of the following is the main approach to a lose-lose strategy?

A)Arbitration
B)Democratic vote
C)Collaboration
D)Compromise

Question 51

Nadine is a project manager for Sellofone Company. She avoids conflict in her team by telling her team members "Don't worry. Be happy!" When there is a conflict in the team, she asks them to "look on the bright side." As a result, her subordinates feel that their problems are not being taken seriously. Which conflict management style does Nadine follow?

A)Collaboration style
B)Compromising style
C)Accommodating style
D)Problem-solving style

Question 52

Which of the following statements is true about low conformers?

A)They like to fit in and work well in teams.
B)They think independently and solve problems creatively.
C)They are never happy and constantly discuss their problems with others.
D)The best way to deal with them is to force them to conform.

Question 53

Which of the following is more important than the issue itself to a "compromiser"?

A)Remaining neutral
B)Arriving at a win-win solution
C)Arriving at an agreeable solution.
D)Arriving at a win-lose solution

Question 54

Which of the following conflict resolution strategies produces unhappy people on both sides of an issue?

A)Win-win strategy
B)Win-lose strategy
C)Lose-lose strategy
D)Collaborative approach

Question 55

The democratic vote approach is not as effective in resolving conflicts in organizations as it is in the political system because:

A)most organizations use a series of checks and balances before using democratic vote.
B)the majority vote leaves a minority of unhappy people without any real recourse.
C)it leaves people unhappy on both sides of the issue as nobody gets what they want.
D)it typically leads to a lose-lose situation.

Question 56

In the context of the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, which of the following is a defining characteristic of a competitor?

A)He or she is cooperative and nonaggressive.
B)He or she is confrontational and aggressive.
C)He or she ignores or passes over issues.
D)He or she is cooperative even at the expense of personal goals.

Question 57

Which of the following statements best describes a conflict manager who is a competitor?

A)He or she is someone who would rather not be around conflict at all and values neutrality highly.
B)He or she is someone who brings both sides together for a discussion and is most likely to bring about a win-win solution.
C)He or she is someone who is most likely to try a win-lose approach to conflict resolution.
D)He or she is someone who wants to avoid conflict by engaging in positive thinking.

Question 58

Which of the following styles of conflict management is necessary for a win-win solution?

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

Question 59

In which of the following ways does the arbitrary approach of the win-lose strategy work?

A)The conflict manager decides which side is right and which is wrong, then considers the issue to be resolved.
B)The conflict manager focuses on reaching a compromise in which nobody gets what they want, but everyone can live with the decision.
C)The conflict manager primarily focuses on satisfying as many of each side's needs as possible.
D)The conflict manager tries to make both sides feel that they have come out on top.

Question 60

According to the Thomas-Kilman Conflict Model, in which style of conflict management is the manager cooperative even at the expense of personal goals?

A)Avoidance style
B)Competitor style
C)Compromising style
D)Accommodating style

Question 61

In the context of conflict cases, _____ think independently, solve problems creatively, and often cause some conflict in the process.

Question 62

In the _____ approach of win-lose strategy, a conflict manager decides which side is right and which is wrong, then considers the issue to be resolved.

Question 63

When disagreements stem from a _____ conflict, they tend to focus on disagreements over what a statement or concept means.

Question 64

In the context of conflict cases, _____ are usually easy to work with. They like to fit in, work well in teams, and are generally friendly toward policies and group norms.

Question 65

The _____ strategy of conflict resolution produces unhappy people on both sides of an issue.

Question 66

_____ is a process that begins when one person sees that another person has damaged-or is about to damage-something that the other person cares about.

Question 67

A person with a(n) _____ style of conflict management opens communication channels and learns about what issues each party feels are most important.

Question 68

A person with a(n) _____ style of conflict management uses his or her skills to blend differences of both sides together and form a workable alternative.

Question 69

In the context of the Thomas-Kilman conflict model, _____ want to avoid conflict by positive thinking.

Question 70

The _____ strategy of conflict resolution allows one side of a conflict to win at the expense of the other.

Question 71

When a conflict manager has a(n) _____ style of managing conflict, he or she will often mistakenly assume that if a conflict involves only other people, it should be left only to them.

Question 72

The source of a _____ conflict is disagreement on the items or "rightness" of ideas.

Question 73

A(n) _____ conflict is involved in the process of defining yourself to others and responding to their implied definitions of themselves.

Question 74

A(n) _____ conflict involves two people who are at odds over personality differences, values conflicts, loyalties, or any number of issues.

Question 75

Working with and managing the _____ require a special capacity for patience and good will.

Question 76

A(n) _____ strategy of conflict resolution is one in which both sides feel they have come out on top.

Question 77

A(n) _____ conflict occurs when two groups form and take sides.

Question 78

A _____ is most likely to try a win-lose approach to conflict resolution, especially if he or she is personally involved in the conflict.

Question 79

The main approach in the _____ strategy of conflict resolution is compromise.

Question 80

A(n) _____ conflict occurs when a conflict factor is built into the structure or the policies of the organization.