Question 1

In which of the following conditions should constructive conflict be stimulated?

Accepted Answer

Constructive conflict, if carefully monitored, can be very productive under a number of circumstances, including when your work group seems afflicted with inertia and apathy resulting in low performance, when there's a lack of new ideas and resistance to change, and when there seem to be a lot of groupthink in the work unit.

Question 2

When issues causing conflict are trivial, or when emotions are high and cooling off would be helpful, which conflict-handling style is preferable?

Accepted Answer

Avoiding involves ignoring or suppressing a conflict.Avoidance is appropriate for trivial issues, when emotions are high and a cooling-off period is needed, or when the cost of confrontation outweighs the benefits of resolving the conflict.

Question 3

Travis proposed the purchase of a new Minolta copier to his boss.Amir said that he has always used and liked Xerox copiers, but when he thinks about it later he realizes he does not really feel strongly about it.Amir should adopt a(n) ______ conflict-handling style.

Accepted Answer

Accommodating is allowing the desires of the other party to prevail.It is appropriate to let the other party have her way when the issue is not important to you and it is not complex.

Question 4

Which of the following is a source of conflict in the workplace?

Accepted Answer

A source of intergroup conflict is inconsistent goals or reward systems, when people pursue different objectives.

Question 5

Dysfunction conflict is sometimes called ______ conflict.

Accepted Answer

From the standpoint of the organization, dysfunctional conflict is conflict that hinders the organization's performance or threatens its interests.As a manager, you need to do what you can to remove dysfunctional conflict, sometimes called negative conflict.

Question 6

Becca asked Kevin, one of her team members, to purposefully think of and voice criticisms as the group discussed a popular idea to open a branch office in another state.This is an example of the use of

Accepted Answer

Devil's advocacy is the process of assigning someone to play the role of critic to voice possible objections to a proposal and thereby generate critical thinking and reality testing.

Question 7

________ conflict is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike, disagreement, or differing styles.

Accepted Answer

Personality conflict is defined as interpersonal opposition based on personal dislike, disagreement, or differing styles.Such conflicts often begin with instances of workplace incivility which, if not curtailed, can diminish job satisfaction and organizational loyalty.

Question 8

Rachel missed another deadline and her boss Keri is very upset.She will have to explain to the client again why the project is behind.Keri thinks she may say something she'll regret if she talks to Rachel about this now, so she decides to wait awhile.Keri is using the ______ conflict-handling style.

Accepted Answer

Avoiding involves ignoring or suppressing a conflict.Avoidance is appropriate for trivial issues, when emotions are high and a cooling-off period is needed, or when the cost of confrontation outweighs the benefits of resolving the conflict.

Question 9

Malia told her team that she is moving forward with a change to the bonus structure, despite vocal objections from several team members.Malia is using the ______ conflict-handling style.

Accepted Answer

Forcing or dominating is simply ordering an outcome, when a manager relies on his or her formal authority and power.

Question 10

Which of the following is a manifestation of excessive conflict in the workplace?

Accepted Answer

Workplace aggression and violence are manifestations of excessive conflict.

Question 11

Toyota's automobile recall problems may have been rooted in the difference between Japanese and American attitudes about

Accepted Answer

Toyota failed to recognize differences in the way that Japanese and Americans perceive recalls and safety.For the Japanese, conflicts are all about personal honor."Japanese consumers are horrified by recalls," says one account, "while Japanese companies avoid them at all costs.For U.S.consumers, knowing that any flaw will trigger a recall gives them greater confidence in their cars." By delaying recall, Toyota made a "typically Japanese judgment" for an American market.

Question 12

Workplace performance is maximized when

Accepted Answer

A moderate level of conflict can induce creativity and initiative, thereby raising performance .Too much or too little conflict has been shown to reduce performance.

Question 13

To prevent groupthink, a manager should

Accepted Answer

Preventive measures for groupthink include allowing other perspectives.Outside experts should be used to introduce fresh perspectives.

Question 14

The conflict-handling style in which a person allows the desires of another to prevail is known as

Accepted Answer

Accommodating is allowing the desires of the other party to prevail.As one writer describes it, "An obliging [accommodating] person neglects his or her own concern to satisfy the concern of the other party."

Question 15

Ken, whose primary job is supervising a small production group, is not getting cooperation from all members on the cross-functional team he leads.In particular, Bethany, a marketing manager, seems to resist his direction.The source of conflict in this cause may be

Accepted Answer

A source of intergroup conflict is status differences, when there are inconsistencies in power and influence.It can happen that people who are lower in status according to the organizational chart actually have disproportionate power over those theoretically above them, which can lead to conflicts.

Question 16

______ is the conflict-handling style that strives to devise solutions that benefit both parties.

Accepted Answer

Collaborating strives to devise solutions that benefit both parties.

Question 17

______ is designed to elicit different opinions without inciting people's personal feelings.

Accepted Answer

Programmed conflict is designed to elicit different opinions without inciting people's personal feelings.

Question 18

The disadvantage of the ______ conflict-handling style is that it is very time consuming.

Accepted Answer

The strength of collaborating is its longer-lasting impact because it deals with the underlying problem, not just its symptoms.Its weakness is that it's very time consuming.

Question 19

Which of the following is characteristic of workgroups with too little conflict?

Accepted Answer

Excessive conflict can erode organizational performance because of political infighting, dissatisfaction, lack of teamwork, and turnover.But work groups, departments, or organizations that experience too little conflict tend to be plagued by apathy, lack of creativity, indecision, and missed deadlines.

Question 20

Hannah is on a team with Carson, and they are often in conflict.Hannah likes to begin her work with careful planning and she gets started immediately.Carson, on the other hand, likes trying out several ideas, and tends to be working frantically at the last minute.Their team conflict most likely stems from

Accepted Answer

Personality, values, attitudes, and experience can be so disparate that sometimes the only way to resolve individual differences like personality clashes is to separate two people.Hannah and Carson have two entirely different attitudes toward meeting deadlines.

Quiz 13: Groups and Teams: Increasing Cooperation, Reducing Conflict