Deck 9: Conflict and Negotiation

Question 1

Conflict is functional if it

A)supports the goals of the group.
B)is satisfying to the individual members of the group.
C)causes group members to argue.
D)causes turnover.
E)supports the objectives of management.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The loci of conflict are

A)dyadic, intergroup and intragroup conflict
B)dyadic, intergroup and interpersonal conflict
C)intragroup, intergroup and interpersonal conflict
D)task, process and relationship conflict
E)functional and dysfunctional conflict

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Knowing how conflict is ________ is important in determining ways to resolving it.

A)being suppressed by management
B)categorized by outcomes
C)defined by the conflict parties
D)perceived by those surrounding the conflict
E)impacting the values of the conflict parties

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Within the five identified conflict management strategies, 'accepting the will of the other party' is

A)forcing.
B)compromising.
C)yielding.
D)avoiding.
E)problem solving.

Question 5

The production department at RLM Inc. is always in conflict with the sales department because the former accuses the latter of promising delivery dates to customers that are unrealistic. The source of conflict in this example is

A)communication.
B)personalities.
C)tasks.
D)structure.
E)management.

Question 6

When Antonio gets into a disagreement with co-workers at staff meetings, he intimidates them with physical gestures and by standing up, rather than remaining sitting. Antonio's behaviour is occurring in which loci of conflict?

A)functional conflict
B)relationship conflict
C)didactic conflict
D)intragroup conflict
E)intergroup conflict

Question 7

A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about is called

A)politics.
B)consideration.
C)power.
D)conflict.
E)negotiation.

Question 8

When working on a team, Angela is effective, even though she often expresses disagreement with the perspectives and judgments of her peers regarding various tasks that they are discussing. This is an example of

A)task conflict.
B)functional conflict.
C)relationship conflict.
D)destructive conflict.
E)process conflict.

Question 9

The most important criterion in determining whether conflict is functional or dysfunctional is

A)overall morale.
B)turnover rates.
C)absenteeism levels.
D)group performance.
E)individual performance.

Question 10

Conflict that is over content and goals of the work is

A)effective conflict.
B)task conflict.
C)dysfunctional conflict.
D)structural conflict.
E)process conflict.

Question 11

Relationship conflict is

A)emotional and aimed at a person rather that an issue.
B)impersonal and based on issues rather that a personality.
C)related to differences in perspectives.
D)a consequence of the requirements of the job.
E)a divergent hierarchy of goals.

Question 12

Conflict is dysfunctional when it

A)provides a medium to release tension.
B)reduces group cohesiveness.
C)fosters an environment of self-evaluation and change.
D)enhances flexibility.
E)increases productivity.

Question 13

Raffi is a good worker, but in a group setting, he often resorts to personal attacks on other workers who disagree with his point of view on a given issue. This is an example of

A)functional conflict.
B)task conflict.
C)destructive conflict.
D)relationship conflict.
E)process conflict.

Question 14

Terry is known the provoke arguments, and while some people don't like her for that reason, most would admit that her confrontational style improves the performance of the group. This is an example of

A)dysfunctional conflict.
B)destructive conflict.
C)functional conflict.
D)negotiation conflict.
E)forcing conflict.

Question 15

The potential for a conflict to be functional increases when teams members were

A)high in organizational citizenship behaviour.
B)high in machiavellianism.
C)high in self-monitoring.
D)high in openness and emotional stability.
E)high in goal commitment.

Question 16

The demarcation between functional and dysfunctional conflict is

A)neither clear nor precise.
B)individual perception.
C)the effect on group performance.
D)measured on the conflict intensity scale.
E)determined by the group's leader.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a requirement of conflict?

A)must be perceived
B)overt acts
C)incompatibility
D)opposition
E)separation

Question 18

Which type of conflict is aimed at a person rather than an issue?

A)relationship
B)task
C)process
D)dyadic
E)functional

Question 19

If no one is aware of conflict, it is generally agreed that

A)employee-employer relations will be good.
B)conflict is subversive.
C)no conflict exists.
D)conflict is inevitable.
E)management practices are highly effective.

Question 20

Ambiguity about responsibilities and accountabilities describes which category of conflict sources?

A)affective
B)structural
C)cognitive
D)cultural
E)communication

Question 21

Tanuj is popular among his coworkers because he tries to balance the needs of others with those of his own to reach solutions when a conflict arises. This conflict management strategy is known as

A)forcing.
B)compromising.
C)problem solving.
D)yielding.
E)avoiding.

Question 22

Within the five identified conflict management strategies, trying to reach mutually satisfactory results is termed

A)avoiding.
B)forcing.
C)yielding.
D)problem solving.
E)compromising.

Question 23

Within the five identified conflict management strategies, balancing all concerns to reach a solution is termed

A)avoiding.
B)forcing.
C)yielding.
D)problem solving.
E)compromising.

Question 24

Within the five identified conflict management strategies, ignoring the issue is

A)forcing.
B)yielding.
C)compromising.
D)avoiding.
E)problem solving.

Question 25

The dual concern theory identifies which of the following two primary dimensions of conflict-handling intentions?

A)awareness and assertiveness
B)reliability and awareness
C)cooperativeness and assertiveness
D)independence and interdependence
E)accommodation and collaboration

Question 26

A consistent conflict among warehouse staff is the lack of resources. Warehouse staff believe other departments have newer technology to complete their work, so they grumble and complain to and compare themselves to the other departments. Because their manager knows it isn't true that other departments have better equipment, their manager could manage this conflict using a resolution technique called

A)authoritative command.
B)altering the human variable.
C)altering the structural variables.
D)expansion of resources.
E)avoidance.

Question 27

Most North Americans expect conflict to be dealt with directly and openly; most Asians expect conflict to be dealt with

A)immediately.
B)through yielding.
C)through authoritative command.
D)in private.
E)in public.

Question 28

Candice is great at resolving conflict among her staff. Her usual approach is to try to reach an agreement that completely satisfies the aspirations of both people who are involved in the conflict. This is an example of

A)forcing.
B)avoiding.
C)compromising.
D)problem solving.
E)yielding.

Question 29

Kerri Anne has been brought in to resolve the stalemate between the union and management regarding the issues of wage increases. She has indicated that if the two parties cannot resolve this issue themselves, she will have to impose a decision herself. Kerri Anne is known as a(n)

A)facilitator.
B)ombudsperson.
C)arbitrator.
D)mediator.
E)conciliator.

Question 30

Will is very adept at resolving conflicts among his staff by playing down the difference in opinions at the same time as he emphasizes the common interests of both parties. This resolution technique is called

A)avoidance.
B)smoothing.
C)compromising.
D)problem solving.
E)developing subordinate goals.

Question 31

Yielding, as a conflict management strategy, is ________ assertiveness and ________ cooperativeness.

A)high, low
B)low, high
C)high, high
D)low, low
E)moderate, moderate

Question 32

Since his work group has a lot of temperamental people in it, when a conflict arises among the group, Francois tends to deal with it by minimizing the importance of the issue and telling everyone to "just get back to work." This conflict management strategy is known as

A)yielding.
B)compromising.
C)avoiding.
D)problem solving.
E)forcing.

Question 33

Within the five identified conflict management strategies, 'imposing one's will' is termed

A)forcing.
B)problem solving.
C)avoiding.
D)yielding.
E)compromising.

Question 34

Using only assertive behaviour in a conflict would illustrate which of the following conflict-handling strategies?

A)forcing
B)avoiding
C)yielding
D)problem solving
E)compromising

Question 35

To achieve reasonable solutions when time is short, the best conflict resolution strategy is

A)yielding.
B)compromising.
C)forcing.
D)avoiding.
E)problem solving.

Question 36

Forcing, as a conflict management strategy, uses ________ assertiveness and ________ cooperativeness.

A)high, low
B)low, high
C)high, high
D)low, low
E)moderate, moderate

Question 37

Rawana is very skilled at bringing conflicting parties to a negotiated solution by suggesting alternatives and by using reasoning and persuasion. Rawana is known as a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)facilitator.
D)ombudsperson.
E)peer review.

Question 38

Tina is known as a bit of a "softie" among her coworkers, because when someone challenges one of her ideas, she backs off, even when her idea is a very good one. This conflict management strategy is known as

A)yielding.
B)compromising.
C)avoiding.
D)problem solving.
E)forcing.

Question 39

Ismal is a well-respected employee from another department who has been brought in to try to resolve a conflict between two employees in another department. His advice to them is to attempt to resolve their main issue first, and he has provided them with some new information that expands their understanding of the issue. Ismal's role is that of a(n)

A)compromiser.
B)mediator.
C)arbitrator.
D)negotiator.
E)enforcer.

Question 40

Fred has been brought in to resolve the negotiation impasse between the union and management. He is very good at encouraging open communication, and is also very good at fact-finding and interpreting messages of the participants. Fred is known as a(n)

A)facilitator.
B)arbitrator.
C)manager.
D)conciliator.
E)ombudsperson.

Question 41

Bob welcomes a certain degree of conflict and disagreement among his staff, since he has been concerned that they have approved proposals in the past based on weak assumptions and without exploring other alternatives. Bob is promoting a type of conflict known as

A)mediation.
B)relationship.
C)task.
D)collaboration.
E)dysfunctional.

Question 42

By using compromise, the parties are seeking what kind of solution?

A)win-win
B)win-lose
C)lose-lose
D)conflict avoidance
E)conflict escalation

Question 43

Conrad is optimistic that the issues between the union and management will be resolved since there appears to be some overlap between their aspirations. This overlap is known as

A)a hope for a settlement.
B)a bargaining zone.
C)collective bargaining.
D)groupthink.
E)rubber stamping.

Question 44

When it comes to personality conflicts in the workplace, research suggests managers can spend between ________ of their time managing them.

A)25%
B)6%
C)16%
D)20%
E)50%

Question 45

Mediation is a strategy that

A)brings people together formally to talk about personalities.
B)brings a panel of peers together to adjudicate and solve the problem.
C)brings people together with a third party to solve the problem.
D)brings an impartial third party to dictate the solution.
E)brings an impartial third party to help negotiate a solution.

Question 46

Which of the following conflict-handling methods is best at building trust and long-term relationships?

A)avoiding
B)accommodating
C)compromising
D)problem solving
E)competing

Question 47

Why are individual attitudes toward conflict so important?

A)The individual is the smallest unit of measurement.
B)These attitudes define the set of possible settlements.
C)These attitudes do not change.
D)These attitudes define the structural elements in conflict.
E)These attitudes are variable and inconsequential.

Question 48

Distributive bargaining involves

A)varying amounts of resources.
B)the long term.
C)the short term.
D)a limited amount of resources.
E)both parties as winners.

Question 49

Integrative bargaining involves

A)limited resources.
B)the short term.
C)resistance to bargaining.
D)the long term.
E)winning at any cost.

Question 50

A process in which two or more parties exchange goods or services and attempt to agree upon the exchange rate for them is

A)negotiation.
B)conflict management.
C)economics.
D)supply side economics.
E)resource allocation.

Question 51

What is negotiation?

A)win-lose situation
B)best alternative to a situation
C)resistance point
D)exchange process
E)creative conflict

Question 52

Which type of negotiation seeks to divide a "fixed pie"?

A)distributive bargaining
B)integrative bargaining
C)unethical bargaining
D)resistance bargaining
E)cost-effective bargaining

Question 53

Labour-management negotiations over wages exemplifies

A)integrative bargaining.
B)cost-effective bargaining.
C)distributive bargaining.
D)third-party bargaining.
E)organizational bargaining.

Question 54

Leslie is of the opinion that conflict isn't always bad. His feeling is that it can assist in avoiding one of the biggest problems that groups face known as

A)negotiation.
B)groupthink.
C)arbitration.
D)mediation.
E)peer reviews.

Question 55

"Splitting the difference" would be used by which of the following conflict management strategies?

A)avoiding
B)problem solving
C)yielding
D)compromising
E)forcing

Question 56

Which of the following characteristics would be inconsistent with an individual using a problem solving style?

A)views conflict as natural and helpful
B)demonstrates trust and candidness with others
C)believes that each party must give up something to reach a satisfactory solution
D)views everyone as having an equal role in resolving the conflict
E)attempts to reach a satisfactory and acceptable conclusion

Question 57

The bargaining strategy that operates under zero-sum conditions is called

A)win-win.
B)unethical.
C)integrative.
D)distributive.
E)win-lose.

Question 58

Which of the following is also a potential source of the conflict?

A)where group or department members are older
B)lower turnover that does not affect group performance
C)specific direction/definition of responsibility for actions
D)interdependence of groups
E)Structural conflict is not a possible issue.

Question 59

Norman Seers, vice president of human resources for Doors Unlimited, is attempting to resolve the problems in the North Shore plant. He realizes the conflict is highly dysfunctional and is beginning to negatively impact customer service. Norman also believes that some level of conflict is good in that it

A)allows employees to openly question and disagree with each other's ideas.
B)discourages expression of personal beliefs and opinions.
C)keeps employees quiet, removed and distant.
D)disrupts the relationships in the office so they don't waste time talking on the job.
E)causes people to disengage and leave the firm.

Question 60

When it comes to conflict and productivity, research has strongly suggested

A)conflict should be avoided at all costs.
B)conflict costs almost double productivity input.
C)conflict can be functional and improve productivity.
D)people have an aversion to productivity.
E)conflict and counter-productivity are predictable.

Question 61

Which of the following would fall outside the general role of a mediator?

A)suggest
B)reason
C)persuade
D)facilitate
E)dictate

Question 62

James' "claim to fame" is that, in any negotiation process that he is involved with, he has the ability to work towards a solution that can create a win-win situation for all participants. James is thus adept at

A)integrative bargaining.
B)collective bargaining.
C)distributive bargaining.
D)barter bargaining.
E)wholistic bargaining.

Question 63

In third-party negotiations, a third party who provides an informal communication link between the negotiator and the opponent is known as a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)consultant.
D)conciliator.
E)liaison.

Question 64

Research has found that some cultures prefer ________ relations and may not react well to the confrontational dynamics more common among North Americans.

A)functional
B)harmonious
C)professional
D)dysfunctional
E)team

Question 65

In third-party negotiations, a third party with the authority to dictate an agreement is known as a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)conciliator.
D)consultant.
E)counselor.

Question 66

Which of the following statements about cultural differences in negotiations is FALSE?

A)Chinese negotiators respond negatively to angry negotiators.
B)Chinese negotiators use anger as a negotiating tactic.
C)Chinese negotiators give-in to negotiators who are angry.
D)It is easy to negotiate across cultures.
E)It is easy for high-context and lo-context cultures to negotiate.

Question 67

The lowest value acceptable to you for a negotiated agreement is determined by your

A)best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA).
B)margin of error.
C)bid price.
D)asking price.
E)negotiating stance.

Question 68

Stephen's experience in labour-management relations is that one of the groups always seems to win at the expense of the other. This is known as

A)integrative bargaining.
B)groupthink.
C)the bargaining zone.
D)distributive bargaining
E)collective bargaining.

Question 69

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning gender differences in negotiations?

A)Women are neither worse nor better negotiators than men.
B)Women's attitudes toward negotiation and negotiating skills appear to be quite different from men's.
C)Low-power managers, regardless of gender, attempt to placate their opponents.
D)Women are always more cooperative and pleasant in negotiations than men.
E)Men are more likely to use dialogue to persuade others.

Question 70

The first step in the negotiation process should be

A)defining ground rules.
B)clarification.
C)justification.
D)developing a strategy.
E)bargaining.

Question 71

Which of the following is a characteristic of distributive bargaining?

A)I win; you win.
B)long-term focus
C)convergent or congruent interests
D)Parties' interests are opposed to each other.
E)sensitivity to each other's needs

Question 72

In third-party negotiations, a neutral third party who facilitates a negotiated solution by using reasoning, persuasion, and suggestions is known as a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)conciliator.
D)consultant.
E)counselor.

Question 73

Another term for bargaining is

A)negotiating.
B)compromising.
C)collusion.
D)good faith gesture.
E)resistance.

Question 74

The negotiating strategy that emphasizes win-win solutions is called

A)positive negotiation.
B)integrative bargaining.
C)distributive bargaining.
D)equal bargaining.
E)all-solutions bargaining.

Question 75

Since they have decided NOT to have a settlement imposed, they will not seek the services of a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)conciliator.
D)consultant.
E)counselor.

Question 76

Compared with men, women tend to negotiate with

A)more assertiveness, more self-interest and less accommodation.
B)less assertiveness, more self-interest and less accommodation.
C)less assertiveness, less self-interest and more accommodation.
D)less assertiveness, less self-interest and less accommodation.
E)more assertiveness, more self-interest and more accommodation.

Question 77

Since their problems are moderate and not severely rooted in personalities or their law practice, Janet and Phillip have decided to bring in a neutral third party to facilitate a negotiated solution. This person is referred to as a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)conciliator.
D)consultant.
E)liaison.

Question 78

They have asked Jillian, a trusted colleague and associate, to engage in fact-finding, interpretation, and persuasion to develop some agreements with them. Jillian's role is that of a(n)

A)mediator.
B)arbitrator.
C)conciliator.
D)consultant.
E)facilitator.

Question 79

Recent research studies in gender differences in negotiating styles and effectiveness show that

A)there are differences, but no clear conclusions.
B)women are better negotiators.
C)women are less successful negotiators.
D)women are more confident in negotiations.
E)no differences exist.

Question 80

Both sides have agreed that resources are limited. Each feels that whatever one side wins, the other side loses. They believe they are engaged in

A)integrative bargaining.
B)distributive bargaining.
C)mediation.
D)best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA).
E)dispute resolution.