Chapter 09: Conflict and Negotiation – Flashcards

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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. cognitive conflict. c. destructive conflict. d. affective conflict. e. forcing conflict.

4. 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. cognitive conflict. b. functional conflict. c. affective conflict. d. destructive conflict. e. forcing conflict.

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.

6. When Antonio gets into a disagreement with co-workers, he often intimidates them with physical gestures and by pushing them. On the conflict intensity continuum, Antonio's behaviour would be closest to a. functional conflict. b. affective conflict. c. annihilatory conflict. d. personality conflict. e. task conflict.

7. The potential for conflict to become actual conflict if a. group members are homogeneous. b. there is an incompatibility of goals. c. group members are diverse. d. there are differences of opinion. e. there is disagreement with established company policy.

8. Which of the following is not a requirement of conflict? a. must be perceived b. overt acts c. incompatibility d. opposition e. separation

9. 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.

10. Which of the following falls outside the general definition of conflict? a. commonly accepted organizational practices b. difference over interpretations of facts c. miscommunication of information d. disagreement on behavioural expectations e. incompatibility of goals

11. Ambiguity about responsibilities and accountabilities describes which category of conflict sources? a. affective b. structural c. cognitive d. cultural e. communication

12. Conflict that is task-oriented and related to differences in perspective and judgments is a. affective conflict. b. cognitive conflict. c. dysfunctional conflict. d. structural conflict. e. functional conflict.

13. Affective 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. Which type of conflict is aimed at a person rather than an issue? a. affective b. selective c. cognitive d. sequential e. allowable

18. Conflict is functional if it a. supports the objectives 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.

19. When determining the functionality of conflict, research strongly suggests that the most significant factor is a. the frequency of starting conflict. b. the amount of interpersonal conflict. c. the source of conflict. d. the recipient's attitude towards conflict. e. the general attitude of both parties toward conflict.

20. Within the five identified conflict management strategies, only incorporating the will of the other party is termed a. forcing. b. compromising. c. yielding. d. avoiding. e. problem solving.

21. Candice is great at resolving conflict among her staff members. 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.

22. Within the five identified conflict management strategies, imposing one's will is termed a. forcing. b. problem solving. c. avoiding. d. yielding. e. compromising.

23. 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 that caused the conflict 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.

24. Tina is known as a bit of a ―softie‖ among her coworkers, because when someone challenges one of her ideas, she backs right 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.

25. Timmy is very 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 between them. This conflict management strategy is known as a. forcing. b. compromising. c. problem solving. d. yielding. e. avoiding.

26. Will is very adept at resolving conflicts among his staff by playing down the differences with respect to a given issue while emphasizing the common interests of both parties. This conflict management strategy is called a. avoidance. b. smoothing. c. compromising. d. problem solving. e. developing subordinate goals.

27. A consistent conflict among members of John's staff is the lack of resources; John's staff believe other departments have more and newer technology to complete their work, so they grumble and complain to and about each others use of technology and compare themselves to the other departments. Because he knows it isn't true that other departments have newer and better equipment, John could manage this conflict effectively by a. authoritative command. b. altering the human variable. c. altering the structural variables. d. expansion of resources. e. avoidance,

28. 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 a. compromiser. b. mediator. c. arbitrator. d. negotiator. e. enforcer.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. Most Americans expect conflict to be dealt with directly and openly; most Mexicans expect conflict to be dealt with a. immediately . b. through compromise. c. through authoritative command. d. in private. e. in public.

33. To achieve expedient solutions under time pressure, the best conflict resolution strategy is a. yielding. b. compromising. c. forcing. d. avoiding. e. problem solving.

34. 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.

35. Within the five identified conflict management strategies, ignoring the issue is termed a. forcing. b. yielding. c. compromising. d. avoiding. e. problem solving.

36. Within the five identified conflict management strategies, balancing concerns to reach a solution is termed a. avoiding. b. forcing. c. yielding. d. problem solving. e. compromising.

37. Forcing, as a conflict management strategy, usually creates which of the following solutions? a. win-lose b. lose-lose c. tie-win d. win-win e. tie-lose

38. 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

39. Yielding, as a conflict management strategy, usually creates which of the following solutions? a. win-lose b. lose-lose c. tie-win d. win-win e. tie-lose

40. Making positional commitments in a conflict would illustrate which of the following conflict-handling strategies? a. forcing b. avoiding c. yielding d. problem solving e. compromising

41. Which of the following conflict-handling methods is best described as win-win? a. avoiding b. accommodating c. compromising d. problem solving e. competing

42. 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

43. 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.

44. ―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

45. To achieve compromise, one needs to a. avoid overt disagreement. b. value openness and trust. c. dominate the other conflicting party. d. give up something of value. e. give in to the conflicting party.

46. 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.

47. SCENARIO 9-1 Doors Unlimited is a manufacturer of doors, frames and related hardware and structures for the residential and construction industry. The North Shore plant is the oldest and largest of a series of plants that Doors Unlimited operates. In many cases, they manufacture subassemblies and parts for other plants that are unable to meet a specific customer order. Operations objectives are specifically defined for each of the two departments in this plant. However, production and marketing always seem to have some form of conflict related to issues ranging from manufacturing and design to satisfying customer orders. Communication appears to be a major problem. Frequently, the correct information and data is not provided and a state of confusion exists, creating situations where each department blames the other for problems encountered. The ―it's not our problem‖ attitude is healthy at the North Shore plant! Production always seems to be behind schedule or short of products needed for a shipment. Marketing somehow manages to increase order quantity and variety midway through a production run and is constantly adjusting the orders and shipping dates. These shortcuts and alterations clearly violate established procedure and policy regarding plant operation and how customers are to be served. Production, in turn, responds by altering their own schedules and attempting to force customers into receiving product ahead of schedule. As the problems intensified, each department ―dug in‖ to protect its turf. Eventually an agreement between the two departments was established in an attempt to resolve the problems and smooth out the operations. However, the outcome was that marketing placed even more orders that production was unable to meet. Marketing began to use pressure tactics to get production to ―toe the line.‖ The situation was causing customers to be inconvenienced. Conflict in terms of blame, delays and lack of communication was becoming standard practice. The atmosphere was negative and the departments were blaming each other. Charles Strong, director of operations and production at the North Shore plant, discussed with Norman, vice president of human resources for Doors Unlimited, some approaches to resolve at least some of the conflicts in order to put the plant back into effective operation. Charles noted in a recent discussion that the size and specialization of the plant and the composition of its departments have stimulated conflict. 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.

48. SCENARIO 9-1 Doors Unlimited is a manufacturer of doors, frames and related hardware and structures for the residential and construction industry. The North Shore plant is the oldest and largest of a series of plants that Doors Unlimited operates. In many cases, they manufacture subassemblies and parts for other plants that are unable to meet a specific customer order. Operations objectives are specifically defined for each of the two departments in this plant. However, production and marketing always seem to have some form of conflict related to issues ranging from manufacturing and design to satisfying customer orders. Communication appears to be a major problem. Frequently, the correct information and data is not provided and a state of confusion exists, creating situations where each department blames the other for problems encountered. The ―it's not our problem‖ attitude is healthy at the North Shore plant! Production always seems to be behind schedule or short of products needed for a shipment. Marketing somehow manages to increase order quantity and variety midway through a production run and is constantly adjusting the orders and shipping dates. These shortcuts and alterations clearly violate established procedure and policy regarding plant operation and how customers are to be served. Production, in turn, responds by altering their own schedules and attempting to force customers into receiving product ahead of schedule. As the problems intensified, each department ―dug in‖ to protect its turf. Eventually an agreement between the two departments was established in an attempt to resolve the problems and smooth out the operations. However, the outcome was that marketing placed even more orders that production was unable to meet. Marketing began to use pressure tactics to get production to ―toe the line.‖ The situation was causing customers to be inconvenienced. Conflict in terms of blame, delays and lack of communication was becoming standard practice. The atmosphere was negative and the departments were blaming each other. Norman Seers, vice president of human resources for Doors Unlimited, is attempting to resolve the problems in the North Shore plant. He realizes that conflict, in this case, is highly dysfunctional and is beginning to negatively impact customer service. Norman, however, 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.

49. 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.

50. When it comes to personality conflicts in the workplace, research suggests managers can spend between ______ of their time managing them. a. 20-25% b. 6-8% c. 16-18% d. 12-20% e. 50-60%

51. 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. affective. c. cognitive. d. collaboration. e. dysfunctional.

52. 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.

53. 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.

54. What is negotiation? a. win-lose situation b. best alternative to a situation c. resistance point d. exchange process e. creative conflict

55. 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.

56. The bargaining strategy that operates under zero-sum conditions is called a. win-win. b. unethical. c. integrative. d. distributive. e. win-lose.

57. Integrative bargaining involves a. limited resources. b. the short term. c. resistance to bargaining. d. the long term. e. winning at any cost.

58. Labour-management negotiations over wages exemplifies a. integrative bargaining. b. cost-effective bargaining. c. distributive bargaining. d. third-party bargaining. e. organizational bargaining.

59. 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.

60. 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

61. The first step in the negotiation process should be a. defining ground rules. b. clarification. c. justification. d. developing a strategy. e. bargaining.

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.

63. 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.

64. 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.

65. 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.

66. SCENARIO 9-2 Labour and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement appears to be possible. 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.

67. SCENARIO 9-2 Labour and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement appears to be possible. 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

68. SCENARIO 9-2 Labour and management at DJ Trucking cannot agree upon a contract for the truck drivers. Each side contends that they are bargaining fairly, but no agreement appears to be possible. Another term for bargaining is a. negotiating. b. compromising. c. collusion. d. good faith gesture. e. resistance.

69. SCENARIO 9-3 Playbill Inc. is a company that hires culturally diverse people to perform Shakespearean plays for high school students. They employ actors and actresses from all over the world. These actors and actresses have joined together to request higher salaries for their services. 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.

70. SCENARIO 9-3 Playbill Inc. is a company that hires culturally diverse people to perform Shakespearean plays for high school students. They employ actors and actresses from all over the world. These actors and actresses have joined together to request higher salaries for their services. Which of the following statements about cultural differences in negotiations is false? a. The Chinese draw out negotiations. b. The French like conflict. c. The Russians are quick to make concessions. d. The Americans are impatient and want to be liked. e. The Japanese adapt their behaviours to the situation.

71. 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.

72. Which of the following would fall outside the general role of a mediator? a. suggest b. reason c. persuade d. facilitate e. dictate

73. 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.

74. 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.

75. SCENARIO 9-4 Janet and Phillip are partners in a law firm. Their firm has grown considerably and they are unable to service all of their clients. They do not want to invite other attorneys to join them and must decide which clients to keep and which to send to other law firms. They have reached an impasse in their discussions regarding which clients they will keep and have decided to bring in outside help in their negotiations. 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.

76. SCENARIO 9-4 Janet and Phillip are partners in a law firm. Their firm has grown considerably and they are unable to service all of their clients. They do not want to invite other attorneys to join them and must decide which clients to keep and which to send to other law firms. They have reached an impasse in their discussions regarding which clients they will keep and have decided to bring in outside help in their negotiations. 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.

77. SCENARIO 9-4 Janet and Phillip are partners in a law firm. Their firm has grown considerably and they are unable to service all of their clients. They do not want to invite other attorneys to join them and must decide which clients to keep and which to send to other law firms. They have reached an impasse in their discussions regarding which clients they will keep and have decided to bring in outside help in their negotiations. 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.

78. 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.

79. Liking conflict and not being concerned about whether they are liked or disliked by the opposing party in the negotiations is common for the a. Arabs. b. Russians. c. North Americans. d. French. e. Japanese.

80. Recent research studies in gender differences in negotiating styles and effectiveness show that a. there are many reliable conclusions. b. women are better negotiators. c. there are few reliable conclusions. d. women are more confident. e. no differences exist.

81. Asia Lee is from China, and she is clearly uncomfortable with conflict as is typical of people from her country. Asia Lee is from which of the following types of cultures? a. Activist. b. Collectivist. c. Distributive. d. Compliant. e. Assertive.

82. Chinese managers are more likely than US managers to a. force and compromise. b. compromise and yield. c. avoid and yield. d. force and problem-solve. e. compromise and problem-solve.

83. Which personality types are less effective at distributive bargaining? a. extroverts. b. introverts. c. Machiavellians. d. risk-takers e. Type A.

84. Conflict meets the criteria of constructive conflict when it a. improves the quality of decisions. b. encourages interest and curiosity of members. c. increases tensions to stimulate creativity. d. increases tensions to stimulate creativity and improves the quality of decisions. e. improves the quality of decisions and encourages interest and curiosity of members.

85. Tom has found that when his project managers have to work in large teams, conflict seems to a. increase. b. decrease. c. be goal-oriented. d. be easier to resolve. e. be avoided.